Crescendo
by BreatheAngel
Summary: Ordered to slaughter a village that a girl he met lives in, and also to bring her back to Madara, Sasuke's path to revenge keeps getting darker and more twisted. Does this girl's red hair have anything to do with the almost extinct Uzumaki clan?
1. Intro

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**

* * *

**Track 1: Intro. - Opening**

* * *

I walked through the woods, thankful to be by myself. It wasn't easy to be constantly monitored by Madara, constantly up my ass. I bet he has the two faced Akastuki member following me this very second.

I sighed at the thought.

A piece of my dark hair tickled my nose and I had to restrain the urge to sneeze.

_I need a haircut._

I rubbed my eyes hoping that it would stimulate anymore vision; I knew it wasn't any use. I've been using my Mangekyo Sharingan too much and everything was getting blurry. The fight with Naruto made it worse.

He always makes it worse.

My feet took me to a lake that sat in the middle of the woods, its blurry waves sparkling. A strong breeze made the trees thrash about displeased. In the distance I could see chimney smoke and the faint scent of food. My instincts screamed that I was too close and I could be spotted. But why do I care?

My interest wavered and I looked out across the lake. I spotted a fish minding its own business when a hawk swooped down and grabbed its slimy, wriggling mass with its huge talons. The fish tried to squirm its way out, but its fate had no mercy.

_Just like my brother's._

"Tsch." I scowled and threw a rock into the murky depths. I was once again lost in my thoughts.

"You know, if you keep making a face like that, it may stick." A female voice chimed a few feet away to my right. I glanced over and spotted a girl a year or two younger than me with red hair that hung to her hips, a basket in her small hands.

I continued staring out over nothing and hoped that she'll go away. I wasn't in the mood for small talk and to be honest I was itching for a kill. When I realized that, my insides cringed.

What the hell is _wrong_ with me?

"Well, if you're just going to stand there looking all depressed and mopey like, I really hope that you can move over _there_ to look all depressed and mopey like so I can get to the raspberry bush behind you there please and thank you." Her eyes flicked behind me.

I started walking away and was about to head back to base when I realized how much I didn't want to. But at the same time I didn't feel like dealing with the girl if she was a talker. I walked back down the way I came and I jumped up into the nearest tree and closed my eyes, thankful for the shade and the breeze. I could see the girl where she was kneeling and plucking at the red berries. Most likely thinking that I was gone, she started singing a song. It sounded foreign and I couldn't understand what she was saying.

I also didn't care to listen.

The breeze carried her melody and I felt myself slowly drifting into a doze. I never slept anymore.

It was too risky.

I must have dozed more than I intended, because when I opened my eyes the sun was close to the horizon, casting an orange glow. The girl with the red hair was gone and the only thing left of her was the patch of disturbed grass and the ghost of her melody stuck in my head.

Shaking off sleepiness, I jump down from the branch and heard a small squeak. I turn to face the red haired girl; I could barely see the look of surprise on her face.

"I-I didn't s-see you t-there." She stammered, her face turning pink.

I couldn't help but smirk. "Hn." was my response.

"I just washed these... and I thought to come back... because you..." she trailed off realizing that I didn't care.

I turned and walk away, hoping that she wouldn't follow.

"Hey, grumpy guy! Will you be here tomorrow?" she called after me.

I didn't answer.

"OI! I asked you a question. Not only are you grumpy, but you're rude! OI!"

My patience was running low.

"OOOOOOOOII!"

Goddammit did she remind me of Naruto. Thinking of him I flinched.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIII!"

Before I knew what I was doing, I was in front of her, my Sharingan blazing.

"Shut-!" Before I could utter another word, a sharp pain in my eyes caused my world to go back to a blurred state.

I buried my face in my hands and backed away.

"Are you okay?" She whispered.

"…" I rubbed my eyes, the pain slowly subsiding. When I removed them, the world was blurry again.

"You're… blind?" She murmured and leaned to get a closer look. Her eyes were two different colors, russet and grey-blue.

I looked at her like she was the most stupid thing, because she was. I glared at her.

She looked at my eyes, her gaze soft and sad.

My glare hardened. With that, like the immature child that I am, I stormed away.

"My name is Aria, by the way. What's yours?"

"None of your business."

I heard her faint chuckle and her song began again. Walking away, my legs felt like lead. The song, this time, seemed to invade my every pore with a thousand years of sadness.


	2. Pianississimo

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**

* * *

**Track 2: ****Pianississimo.**** – Very, very soft**

* * *

I don't know what brought me back to the lake, but I had to get out again. Madara has been up my ass once again - more and more, and last night I wanted to chew his head off.

As I perched upon the branch from yesterday, familiar notes drifted in the wind. She was far away, but I guess that's a plus for going blind: you rely more on hearing and in return, it gets sharper.

She appeared in my line of view with the same basket that she carried yesterday. I could make out the syllables now, but the words still seemed foreign to me.

To get a better view, I switched to my Sharingan. She wore a lavender kimono and her red hair was tied and hung over her shoulder. Its highlights flashing orange and pink. Her gray-blue eye slid quickly in my direction, accusing.

My back stiffened and I let myself go blurry again, even though she probably couldn't see me. I closed my eyes and focused on my surroundings.

The sounds of birds and lapping water couldn't over power her song.

The girl's song gave a crescendo and I noticed that she had deep sound in her voice. It didn't make her sound manly, but it sounded like she was singing from the depths of her soul. From a part of her that you couldn't see unless she sang it out.

I had to admit, it was beautiful.

Her voice grew higher and higher until it was almost nonexistent, and then suddenly, seem to tumble down. Each word sounded like pain turning into despair; into darkness.

Into madness.

"_Everything you told me is a lie..."_

My eyes flashed open as I recognized the words. No longer foreign:

"_You were supposed to be there for me._

_Where did you go?_

_I miss you._

_In my darkest hour, you betrayed me._

_I'm tried my hardest to get stronger_

_To rise above, to be rid of you_

_I believed your lie_

_But the truth came out_

_And I was wrong_

_I'm sorry, forgive me._

My eyes are wide and I couldn't breathe. My stomach clenched, my head pounded and I felt like my lungs were going to burst.

_Things have changed since you've gone_

_And I'm no longer the person I thought I was_

_Because of you I don't know what to believe anymore_

_You've changed me_

_You've made me, who I am today_

_You've changed me... once again..."_

When the last note of her song drifted away, my head hung and a smirk flitted across my face.

Then, my face was in hers and my hand around her fragile neck.

She was alarmed, but she seemed to look through me.

"Who the hell are you?" I growled.

"Aria." She looked at me so intensely that I let her go.

"_Aria,_" I sneered, "What the _hell_ was that?"

"What was what?"

"That song you just sang."

"Just a song."

Frustrated, I walked away from her.

"At first, it may seem like a song in a different language, unrecognizable. Foreign."

I stopped.

"But when you think about something, the words change and morph into what you're feeling. The words you cannot speak. It's an ancient song. I'm also sorry if I singing it made you think of... things you'd prefer not to think about. I can't help it, it's beautiful."

I turned to face her. I felt her eyes bore into mine like she was looking into my soul, like she knew everything and every thought.

It was unsettling.

A small smile crept on her face and she lowered her eyes to the ground, like she knew how her eyes made me feel. She looked at the now scattered berries that had fallen out of her basket, birds swooping down to claim their stolen goods.

She pouted, "I would hope you have the time to help me pick all those berries again."

The trees rustled with a breeze and a piece of her hair flung itself into her face. She ended its short lived freedom and tucked it behind her ear, all while her eyes sheepishly looked up at me.

I smirked.

"It's the least you could do for nearly killing me for the past two days." Her dimpled smile grew to her eyes.  
I couldn't help sighing. I had better things to do than this, but then again I didn't want to go back that hole.

I grabbed her wicker basket and crouched by the bush, even though my back was to her, I had a feeling she wouldn't dare try anything stupid.

She kneels beside me and starts plucking. By the time the basket is full, the sun was hanging low in the sky, the orange aura claiming another day.

"Ah! There we go!" She wiped her forehead and stood up as I started walking away.

"W-WAIT!" I heard her yell. The next thing I know I receive a handkerchief full of raspberries.

"They're a good source of vitamin c, which helps get rid of the bad stuff. I was going to give you some yesterday, but..." She smiled up at me.

I hesitate to take it.

"It's not poisoned... but you should probably wash them when you get home."

_Home..._

I take the pouch and put in my pocket.

"I don't expect a 'thank you'. I guess you helping me were enough." She shifted and the tie that held her hair together fell off.

"Oh shoot." She bent down to retrieve it and went to say something, but I was gone; already making my way through the cover of the trees.

"Still as rude as ever." She said and I could hear the smile in her voice.

I couldn't help my smirk.

I reached base and the three seconds after I flopped on my bed, Juugo knocks on the door.

"Madara wants to see you."

"Then he can come and see me."

"Why must you be so difficult, Sasuke?" He pouted.

"Juugo." I warned.

"Well, it's your funeral."

_Doubtful. _I rolled onto my side to face the wall. I sighed and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would steal me away from Madara for a few hours. But I only thought about my revenge for my clan.

_For Itachi..._

Three hours later, defeated, I crawled out of my bed and into the bathroom. I turned the shower on and then looked at myself in the mirror and was disgusted with what I saw.

Just like Aria's song, I looked foreign – unrecognizable: My pale skin was almost a gray color that stuck out against my black hair; cheek bones that jut out and eyes that look bruised. Black eyes that were as flat and hard as coal itself.

"Tsch." I squeezed my eyes shut from the unfamiliar face and slid out of my stifling clothes. The icy water felt good on my hot skin. I stood there for a while, thinking about a line of Aria's song.

"_I'm sorry, forgive me."_

_Can you forgive me, Big Brother? For being so naïve? _I thought to the tiled ceiling. The only response I got was the sound of echoing water. I sighed and turned the knob to off.

I walked back into my room, and to my dismay, a letter from Madara telling me to come in the hour.

I knew better than to piss him off anymore. I quickly put on my clothes and shook out more water from my ever growing hair.

I still needed that goddamn haircut.


	3. Pianissimo

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**

* * *

**Track 3: ****Pianissimo.**** – Very soft.**

* * *

I went to the lake again, something that tells me it was going to be a daily occurrence.

The sun was just about to rise, the gray sky turning a pale pink as the birds begin their daily routine.

_The world is at its quietest, at its most peaceful._

My thoughts then turned to the discussion I had with Madara last night. To tell the truth, I don't care what he wants. My brother is dead. My parents are dead. My clan is dead. My revenge has only leaded me back to the beginning: more revenge.

I hate Konoha. I want to destroy them. All of them. I hate what they did to my clan, my family. How they made Itachi kill them. I could only wonder what it felt like, seeing the little brother you love so much, hate you enough to want to kill you.

Itachi wanted that.

He didn't want to live with a burden of killing his family for the rest of his life.

So he wanted me to do it.

To get revenge for the lie he created.

Which, of course I believed. Did I believe it because I trusted him to tell me the truth?

I was a child, but still: Why didn't I put any more faith in him? My big brother whom I cherished so much?

The pain he must have felt.

I felt a surge of uncontrollable rage collide inside of me. With a yell, I broke a thick branch off a tree.

With it burning itself out, I felt her presence.

I tilted my head in her direction.

"Disturbing the peace so early in the morning? You really are rude! I've bet you've woken up the whole village by now! Poor Auntie Kana!" She crossed her arms and glared at me.

"What are you doing here?" I growl, her complaining annoying me.

"I come here every morning," she brightened suddenly, "I like watching the sun come up. It's peaceful."

"Hn."

"So sorry if I'm in your space, but you happen to be in my space also."

"..."

As if some force from god knows where, she continued talking.

"This is where I get away from everything. My Auntie Kana is sick, so that's why I get her raspberries every day. I'm constantly looking after her, so this is the only time I get to myself." She sat down on a nearby rock. "It's the least I can do for her. She took me in when my parents died in a freak accident when I was a baby, so I don't remember any of it. She's strict, but a kind woman."

When I gave her no reply, she continued:

"Auntie didn't want me to become a ninja, so I never joined the academy. Is that where you learned to become strong?"

I didn't answer her again, but continued to listen to her rambling.

"I bet you did. I won't ask you any further details. But I always wanted to become a strong ninja, it's too late now so I guess I'll just have to deal with what I got now." She smiled at the pink horizon.

We remained silent for several minutes.

Abruptly, she stood up and stretched. She looked longingly to the horizon, "Good morning Ma and Pa. I hope you're happy wherever you are." She smiled and turned to the trees, a path took her back to where the village was waiting.

"Aria."

It came out before I had the chance to reconsider.

"Mm?" Her big eyes looking at me expectantly.

My head fumbled for the right words, finally: "Your Auntie is wise about you becoming a ninja. I did train at the academy, and graduated." I looked at her. "But being a ninja isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's dangerous, it's lonely, and it's miserable. If I ever have a child, I don't think I would want that kind of world for it."

With that, I stepped into the darkness of the trees as the swell of the sun burst in the sky.

I could hear the patter of rain above me.

I lay in my bed with my eyes closed, the sound of my pulse banging in my ears.

The rumble of distant thunder was my music.

Thankfully I felt myself drift into sleep.

_I was in a rose field._

_Why many dreams end up like this, I have no clue._

_The breeze smelt sickly sweet, like poison being covered up._

_The red flowers swayed back and forth, petals falling from their base. I look up and see the sun was being covered by clouds. I look back and see the beautiful flowers dripping their color to the ground. Inspecting them closer, I realized it was blood. Appalled, I staggered backwards and bumped into something._

_I turned and wanted to throw up._

_Itachi stood before me, in all of his rotting glory. The familiar smile played on his lips that were falling apart. His stomach had a gaping hole were thousands of maggots dripped and wriggled. His skin a green-gray color._

"_Why didn't you believe me, Sasuke?" He reached out for me. I staggered back and bumped into an unbelievably tall hedge._

_He staggered toward me, hand outstretched. I tried melting into the green thistles behind me, to get away from this rotting mass of flesh. But no matter how much I sank in, it wasn't enough to get away. The smell was horrid, the blood pooled around my bare feet, staining them._

"_Sasuke..." Itachi reached for my face._

_My eyes widened, remembering this scene. It flashed before my eyes, like a TV losing its signal to another station._

_It kept doing this until his fingers finally touched my forehead, it's clammy, icy skin made my own crawl._

"_Wake up."_

My eyes shot open and I sat up. A cold sweat clamped to my body making me shiver.

I swear I could still feel his touch infecting my skin.


	4. Piano

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 4**_**: **_**Piano.**** – Soft.**

* * *

I didn't go back to the lake. I didn't want to see that girl again.

My priorities were somewhere else and I could not concern myself with petty things.

I holed myself up in my room thinking of battle strategies to report to Madara, or I would go outside to practice.

To further myself, this sounded better.

I've been training since noon and now the moon was setting itself back into the horizon. Sweat seemed to seep out of each pore in my body. Pushing myself seemed to push the demons away.

_I must keep getting stronger._

I kept telling myself that until I didn't need to think to hear it. I attack a dummy with ten shurikens in less than five seconds.

_Must._

I then continue to slice of its head and then attack the other dummy behind me.

_Get._

I could feel the strain of each muscle as I threw a kunai in its painted eye. My legs finally gave out and I fell to my knees.

_Stronger..._

I looked up at the sky, defeated once again. The sky was black, and I could only make out a few bright stars that winked. A pink haired kunoichi and whisker faced kid flashed under my eyelids when I blinked, causing me to flinch.

"Tsch." I got up, feeling a bit wobbly, and sheathed my katana. I breathed in through my nose and out of my mouth to steady my drumming heart, after a few moments it felt like it wasn't going to smash in on itself anymore.

I sighed and heading back into base. I was met by an orange haired kid.

"Madara wants to see you. Now." Juugo pouted, his cheeks turning a slight pink. He hated being the messenger, always getting the worst of it.

"Hn." I passed by him without a second glance.

"Hey, Sasuke! You should really take it easy. You're gunna wear yourself down." He called.

I ignored him and kept walking. My body felt like it was on fire and every fiber was screaming. When I was out of Juugo's sight, I leaned against a wall. A trickle of cold sweat crept down my back causing me to shiver. The pain subsided to a dull throb that made my whole body feel like one huge pulse. I rubbed my tired eyes. After a few moments to collect myself, I walked into Madara's strategy room. He was there, like promised, and looked at me.

"Nice to see that you got your mindset back, Sasuke. I was worried after the fight with your old team, it might have brought back some... nostalgia. Also seeing you with that red haired girl only disturbed those cautions more." He purred and leaned against the table, ready for an answer.

The answer that I always gave him.

"I'm not going anywhere. I only need to take down the Hidden Leaf. They destroyed everything precious to me, so I'm going to do the same to them." My mouth hardened.

"That's good to hear, Sasuke." Madara paused, "But maybe you can't defeat them... Maybe you'll see a familiar face and hesitate, Sasuke." There was a sort of mockery in his voice.

In the way that he stood.

_Where the hell is he going with this?_

My narrowed gaze shifted to the corner of my eye where he stood, "I was intent to kill Sakura whom I used to care for, but that was only a small amount. I was out for her blood, but thankfully for her, Naruto was there to save the day. If I wasn't so weak after that battle with Danzo, I would've taken down Kakashi..." I faced him, anger starting to boil.

_How dare he underestimate me!_

"Hmm, I'm really not sure. I wonder what you could do to prove that to me."

"I've killed many people who stood in my way, Madara." I glared.

"Yes, yes I know." He pondered for a moment. Then something the way that Madara shifted his head made me go on edge.

_He's merciless._

"You know that village not too far away from here? Kill every single man, woman and child. No matter how old, how sick, or how fragile. Then bring back that red haired girl to me. I need her for something."

My glare hardened, "Why?"

"Why would you care?"

"I don't, but I don't feel like bringing back baggage." I grumbled.

"Cranky and lazy as usual… but if she dies accidentally, that's cool too." Madara shrugged, "But it would be hard finding another one like her."

"Like her?"

"Mhm, you'll know when you bring her back."

"When do I do it?" I hissed.

"Tomorrow night. So rest easy for now, Sasuke. Don't want you completely losing it."

_What the hell does Madara want with Aria?_

I pondered this in my head for a while before realizing, why should I care?

_Because she didn't hate you after the __things you did to her. _A small voice said in my head.

"Tsch." I lay down in my bed, begging for sleep. When it finally did come, I regretted it.

_Everything was chaos. The goddess herself couldn't have done a better job._

_People screaming, running away from the blazes that engulfed their shops, their schools, their homes._

_Their lives._

_I felt a jolt of giddiness come up to my throat. It brought about a maniacal smile to lips. Blood dripped from my fingers, from my hair, splattered across my face. I sprouted more fire at people trying to flee; they were swallowed by the flames._

_Their screams of agony were like sweet music in my ears._

_I brought many more down easily with only the simple basics. I thought of them only as mere dummies that were brought alive and needed to be trained on._

_My smile grew wider when I approached a little boy, too stupid to flee like the rest of them. His parents lay dead on each side of him._

_Most likely died protecting the boy._

_Tears streaked his face and more cascaded down his plump and grazed cheeks._

"_Please..." he sniffled, I could barely hear him._

"_Why? Why do you, of all people, need to survive? You're not important. No one needs any more lost orphans." My smile turned into a grin as the look of fear in the child's face turned to pure terror. I raised my blade to him, ready to strike. It felt like a high, I was totally under its influence. My katana was about to take its countless life when it shattered before making contact._

"_SASUKE!" A familiar voice screamed._

I bolted up right.

I looked at my hands, expecting them to be covered in the dripping crimson liquid. When I realized there wasn't, I sighed. Relieved.

But it was short lived as I saw that it was mid-morning.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this far! Reviews are most welcomed and you can message me with any questions!**


	5. Mezzo Piano

**Track 5: Mezzo Piano. – Half soft.**

`  
I spent the rest of the day walking around aimlessly, the starry sky held a faint, thin slice of the moon. The rest of its black mass blocking out the star's icy light.

Madara told me to conserve my energy for tonight. The village might be small, but they still got fighting power.

My thoughts wondered to Aria. How she would hate me, how she would kick and scream and cry every inch that I dragged her back to base.

How she would call me a monster.

But that's what I am.

A selfish monster to be exact, a monster that thought nothing but revenge.

But killing her village will help prove that my revenge was true, in Madara's eyes. Tobi… Madara? Who knows who he is?

Was revenge selfish?

When I killed Itachi, and then learned the truth from Madara, I didn't know what to believe.

I still don't.

When I awoke broken and battered, I felt empty. When Itachi died, did my purpose go with him? I thought nothing but revenge, since the days after when he destroyed everything.

I could restore my clan... but I'm a criminal... a criminal incapable of compassion and love. No one would ever love me, they would resent me. People would learn the truth, see my face and saw me as a person who I really wasn't.

But who was I?

I'm always told that I am cranky, grumpy, rude... cold; Uninterested in anyone or anything except my revenge. I separated myself from the other kids, unable to relate. They had a home, a family to love them. I will never have that chance again. Naruto was a little different, he had no parents all of his life. But he doesn't know the pain of losing them either.

Especially to someone they trusted and loved.

I remember being a happy child without a care in the world. Maybe if my clan hadn't planned to usurp the village, if my brother didn't have to kill them all, if I didn't have to kill him - who would I be? Where would I be? Would I be as strong? Would I still be part of Team 7?

All of these questions will forever be left unanswered.

Kakashi, Sakura... Naruto. I respected them all.

Kakashi for his patience and intelligence.

Sakura for her strength and wittiness.

Naruto for his determination and positive attitude.

But no longer.

They were part of an organization that destroyed lives. They would – no - will fight for it.

And I will destroy them.

I came to the lake again and peered in the distance, able to see the blurry remnants of smoke.

"_I'm sorry Sasuke, but this is it..."_

I know Itachi.


	6. Mezzo Forte

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters! **

* * *

**Track 6: Mezzo Forte. – Half loud.**

* * *

I sat outside during sunset, close to the lake. The sun gleamed heavily off the lake making me squint, its heat blasting in my face. I could see Aria, wearing her lavender kimono, washing her raspberries and humming softly. Her red hair hung nervously over her shoulder.

A blond man was with her, helping and talking about something I couldn't hear. She then broke out in laughter and splashed water on the man, who then continued to do the same until both of them were soaked.

My eyebrow twitched as I saw him take her face in his hands and kiss her passionately. She seemed to get lost in that moment, but then she hit him and he went sprawling into the water.

"WE'RE IN PUBLIC, ASSHOLE!" I heard her yell. She held up a fist, her hair curling up at the ends. She relaxed and started to laugh, its musical quality somehow reassuring.

It was funny looking at her here, laughing and in love.

Ignorant of what fate had in store for her.

She then looked up, as though she saw something strange. A look on her face that I couldn't read; maybe questioning or knowing. But I know for a fact that she couldn't see me: I was hiding in the thick tree, while she was out on the sandy open. But it still gave me a creepy feeling that her eyes reached mine. The man looked up also, but I didn't get that same feeling.

Maybe she read my thoughts.

The wind stirred up my hair, once again tickling my nose.

I waited on my branch as the sun dipped below the tree line, the air growing chilly; my breath coming out in steamy puffs. By this time, she and golden man were gone.

Autumn was coming.

The stars started sprinkling themselves where the sky grew navy blue. Slowly ripping and spilling out of the top of the atmosphere and tumbling their way down as the sun fell farther until its only remnants was a purple and orange strip. Claiming the black sky, more and more stars glazed everything. They're icy light winked and sputtered, accusing with they're sharp dot. With no moon, they dominated the sky. More clustered and some alone, but they're all here for the same reason.

They've came to see the show.

My heart began to race; it's been doing that a lot lately. I felt it drumming harder when I could already hear the screams of agony and loss; accusations and see brave parents defending their children.

I could feel the blaze of heat as fires burning out of control, just like in my dream. The scarlet blood of innocent veins running in the streets; the weak begging for their lives, and the look of acceptance in the eyes of the wise.

Thoughts continued to race in my mind, giving me a headache. But they continued to race with their evil, twisting emotions and words. Like a total other part of my brain was not my own:

Would I burn them out?

Will I make it quick, or will I take my time?

No, Madara wants all of them dead. For a chance of that happening, I must do it quickly. But then again if I could put up a barrier...

If only Mother was here to see me now.

I felt myself smirk. It didn't affect me at all, killing them.

I felt detached to those people. It didn't matter to me who they are. They could be the President for all I care. You can be a millionaire, a big mafia leader, or call yourself a priest.

Titles are only titles. They mean nothing to the god of Death.

Tonight, they are all equals.


	7. Forte

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 7: Forte. – Loud.**

* * *

It took a half hour to destroy everything, and they didn't even put up a fight.

I remember coming to the gates and then blank when I brought the first one down.

I remember it being female.

Then, just a picture here or there of the sins that I committed. Sins I wished I didn't commit.

I then remember coming back to my wits and seeing Aria below me. So small with her wide eyes wider with disbelief and horror; a woman that must've been her Aunt lay dead before her – A deep, bloody gash across her chest proved that she tried to protect her precious niece.

There were no screams, no moans of pain. Just the sound of the rumbling fire in the distance, its bright blaze barely illuminating my surroundings.

All of them were dead.

"Why..?" She whispered. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she fell to her knees. A streak of blood swooped across her nose.

I felt the maniacal grin slip from my face for my usual, serious line.

"Orders." I said. I really could not have done this… but a strong and angry Madara was something not to disobey. Especially since he can give me what I want.

He wasn't like Orochimaru.

With that, I grabbed her arm and pulled her to standing position, but she was so startled that she fell down and I released her. A soft moan of pain escaped her lips when her head hit the wooden floor.

"If you're going to kill me, I'd rather be next to Auntie Kana." She looked at me through the corner of her eye; a trickle of crimson ran down her eyebrow.

Growing aggravated, I picked her up once again and this time she didn't fall. She was shaking, but when she looked at me, her eyes told another story.

"Then on my feet, I guess. Whatever I did to offend you, I'm sorry. Please... do it now." Her lips quivered and another tear ran down her face.

_Why wasn't she angry at me?_

"I'm going to disappoint you and say that you won't be able to see your Auntie for a few more years."

Her eyes grew wide and was about to speak when I knocked her out.

_Enough with the talking._

I caught her this time, and slung her over my shoulder. Thankfully she was light because I was spent.

I made through the village slowly again and saw the massacre, to see what I've done. The heat of the fires seemed to scorch my face.

I made my way down the main street, bodies littered the ground. These people most likely trying to flee after hearing the startled screams of the insomniacs. Some of them held empty water buckets, maybe trying to put out the blazes. But most of the people stayed asleep, unaware of their demise.

Never to wake up.

I saw a blood stained doll and the body of the owner not too far away from it.

I grimaced at the sight, and couldn't handle the over powering smell of iron. I ran out of the entrance of the deceased village and finally made my way through the canopy of trees, thankful for the cover. Beyond, the lake looked inky and strangely calm as it reflected the night sky and the staring stars. I lightly made my way over it, only the ripples betraying me.

I put Aria in one of the rooms that Madara told me to. A bed, desk with a chair and a slit for a window was the only things that were in there. When laying her down, a runaway tear leached itself from her eyelash, dripped on my cheek and continued to run down to my chin.

It felt odd.

I wiped it off. Even though she was unconscious, her eyes still continued to cry. I looked at her then, her face pale against her Aunt's dried blood. Her clothes and hair were covered in the gore. I thought about cleaning it off but dismissed it. I stood there for a while, thinking about what I did to this girl. I destroyed everything that she ever loved, stole her and now I'm going to chain her. I thought as I put the cuff on her ankle and locked the chain to the bed and walked out of the room. Juugo stood on the other side, still in his child form.

"Mada-" He started.

"I know." I growled and made my way down the hall. Boiling anger tearing through me like claws.

I practically broke down the door.

"Whoa, Sasuke. No need for a drama queen." Suigetsu chirped. Madara sat in a chair not too far away.

"I did what you asked. She's here and unharmed." I growled. I wanted to take these inner claws and rake them across Madara's mask, to see the man he really was underneath.

"Thank you, Sasuke." I hated the way he said my name, "So, after killing all those people, do you think you can do it." He stood up.

"I didn't need to prove anything to you. I know what my goal is." My growl turning into a hiss.

"Mhm, so it seems. Whelp, it seems that I should go check up on our little guest and probably wake her up." He swiftly passed me; a breeze was the only thing he left.

I was left with Suigetsu who swaggered his way over.

"So, how is your little songbird? Hate you yet?" Suigetsu snickered, his sharp, shark teeth looking unnatural on his human face.

"I really could care less."

"Then why so angry?"

I didn't reply.

"You're seriously as cold as always, Sasuke. I feel bad for you." Clucking his tongue, "And you may want to clean up a bit. You're covered in blood." His nose wrinkled and left, leaving me alone to ponder with my thoughts.

_It is for the best if she hated me._

I thought as I slipped out of my tunic. I looked at it disapprovingly and threw it in the corner. The hot water from the shower steamed the tiny room and fogging up the mirror slowly.

_She'll probably try for __revenge._

But why should I care? She's just a pawn in my revenge plot; a tool for my destruction. Something Madara thought would help me.

I loosened my rope belt and threw it in the corner also. Gravity did the rest and I took a glance at my bloody reflection before it was obscured.

I thought of her smiling face.

Not only am I a monster, I look like one too.


	8. Interlude Pt I

**Interlude: Aria**

**Pt. I**

* * *

He was beautiful.

Like a statue made of marble from a master artist: His every line perfect, symmetrical.

But like marble, he was cold. He radiated it, sucking up the warmth from the atmosphere like a leech. His black eyes, though, burned with such intensity and focus. I can still feel them boring into mine…

A living marble statue.

"Aria!" I heard my Auntie call. She must need something.

I broke out of my reverie and left my window. I could see the lake from here since we lived a little farther from the village on a hill. It glittered happily and lapped in the early morning sun.

"Coming!" I yelled back.

I walked a little ways down the hall and slid open the door to her room. She was sitting up in her bed and reading a book.

"Can you please open the window. It's a little stifling for your Auntie." She smiled at me. Her blue eyes sparkled, but the rest of her was sickly. More lines had appeared on her face and a gray streak broke through the red of her hair. Her skin was more pale then usual and it had a gray quality to it.

She doesn't have much time yet.

I nodded and smiled back. The window was a little hard to open, but when it did, I was rewarded with a sweet, warm breeze. A wind chime jingled in the distance.

"You've been out later when you gather the raspberries." It was a statement, not a question.

I rubbed the back of my head, "The season is coming to the end, and so the bushes aren't making berries anymore. Plus the animals are trying to fatten up, so they're getting harder to find - the good ones anyway." I hope she believed me.

"I see."

She believed me.

I let out in internal breath. I stood there looking out the window. On this side, you could see the village. The sounds were soothing.

"Aria, come here."

"Hm?" I sat down beside her and she had a serious look on her face. She usually wasn't like this.

"I don't have much time left on this earth, Aria." She looked at me, her eyes clouding over.

"Nonsense, Auntie. You have-" She then proceeded to grab my hand firmly, her eyes growing soft.

"Listen to me. Aria, I've been here to guide and protect you, but that will end soon. There are still people out there that know that the Uzumaki clan still lives, our red hair gives that off. Your parents tried to hide you away, from your potential as a shinobi before they died, not wanting you to fall into the hands of that would use you. But they died believing if they could just forget that they'll be left alone." Her eyes grew dark, her lips a tight line.

"But they were wrong, Aria. They came for you at your young age, these men, to mold you into a tool for their devices. When I fled with you, I swore that I would no longer hide your true heritage. For now I have managed to keep you safe and used a different name. But you truly know who you are, love, and I have brought you up as a shinobi who will protect that."

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes.

"You are strong, Aria, just like your mother. When I pass, you will go to the Hidden Leaf Village. They were our allies, and they can protect you."

"But why can't I stay here, Auntie? I can make a life for myself! Sasuke... he can protect me. He's strong too!.. and he loves me as well." The tears fell down my face.

_Why am I such a crybaby?_

She tapped me across the head, it hurt. "Sasuke-kun is a good man, but he cannot give you what you want."

"How the _hell_ do you know what I want?" I accused, standing up.

"You'll find a boy there, his name is Uzumaki Naruto. He is your cousin, my sister Kushina's son." She went on as if I've never spoken.

I blanched.

"Do people know this..?" I sat back down, my hands shaking

"Haha. Many people know his name, love. But," She went serious again, "He is a Jinchuuriki of Kurama, the nine-tailed fox. Just like his mother before him. But he's also known for his brashness and positive attitude, reminds me of his mother." She laughed, a sad look came across her face.

"Auntie Kana..." I took her hand, so delicate in mine.

"When you leave for Konohagurke, I want you to meet him. I want him to know that he is no longer alone, that he has bloodline family."

I didn't say anything.

"Promise you will do this for me, a last request for this old lady."

I looked at her and smiled, "I promise, Auntie."

"Why would she make me promise something like that?" I fumed, pacing my boyfriend Sasuke's room and trying hard not to rip my hair out.

"She doesn't want you to feel alone when she dies, songbird." I felt familiar arms embrace me from behind, their strength calming me down. His warm breath tickled my neck.

"But I won't be alone; I have you, Sasuke..." I turned to face him and was rewarded with his warm, honey colored gaze.

"I know. But you have to listen to her, songbird. She brought you up, and she knows what's best for you. You're her only family, and vice versa. Just go for a month or two, and if you don't like it, just come back here." He reasoned, combing his fingers through his golden hair.

I pushed him away, "I want to stay here." I breathed.

I flopped myself on his bed.

He narrowed his gaze and gave me a sly smile, "You're afraid, aren't you?"

My face turned red, "I _so _am not, mister."

"Then go."

"No."

"This is the only place you've ever called home. You've never left and you're scared because it's something new. It's always been obvious that you don't like change."

I hated that he knew me so well.

"Oh shut it." I pouted and rolled on tummy and heard him chuckle. I then felt his finger run circles on my lower back, causing me to shiver.

"Just try it, songbird..." He then trailed his finger up my spine, my back arched in protest.

I turned to him and gave him a look that he laughed at. With that, he kissed me deeply and I felt electricity run through my middle to my secret spots.

I wriggled underneath him and he pinned my hands on either side of me and continued to kiss my neck.

My body responded to him and I moaned, no longer able to hold it in.

I stopped fighting.

"I want what's best for you, Aria. And if it's what your Auntie thinks is best for you, than so do I," He looked at me, "God, you're so beautiful." He whispered and gently kissed my swollen lips.

"Sasuke... I can't…" I breathed as he opened my kimono, I shivered.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm." His voice deeper and gravelly. He made his way down, kissing everything.

_Oh god. _I gripped the blankets as he made his way downtown. I felt my cheeks flush as everything seemed to explode in fireworks. He made his way back up again and kissed me.

I could taste myself on his lips.

We've done it many times before, but with him, it felt like the first every time. I screamed as my body rocked in rhythm with his.

"I hate you." I hissed as I furiously combed my fingers through my stupid long hair. I then pulled it over my shoulder and made a sloppy braid.

"I'm only human." He chuckled, the flat plains of his chest and stomach squeezed on themselves.

"A _male _human to be exact. Auntie is going to be so pissed! Why did you let me fall asleep, asshole!" I shouldered my kimono on and wrapped the sash viciously around my waist to make a perfect bow.

"I still don't understand how you can do that so perfectly... You were worn out, songbird, I felt bad." He mused. I heard the zipper of his shorts.

"Well, I had plenty of practice and screw you." I glared, he only laughed. If only he knew that I could take him down easily.

I looked at myself in the mirror and thought myself decent. But I could feel were my kimono stuck on the dried sweat on my back.

I sighed and grabbed my pouch on the chair. I got on my tiptoes and kissed him, "Goodnight, Sasuke."

He kissed back, "Let me walk you home, songbird."

"I'mma big girl, plus, I need some space to think." I walked to the main entrance of his small home. His parents died in the war, they weren't ninjas but they managed to get stuck in the crossfire. He stayed with his grandfather in this house until, he too, passed.

Now it was just him.

His hazel eyes seemed to smolder, looking intensely at me, "Whatever decision you make, I'll be there to support you." He kissed my forehead.

"I love you so much, Aria." He whispered.

"I love you too, even if you're an asshole." I thwacked him on the shoulder.

He pretended to make a hurt face, we both laughed.

He hugged me one more time and watched me go as I made my way through the street. Not looking back, I crossed through the main courtyard and down another street until a line of trees came into view. A path that disappeared into the darkness made its way to my home. The sun retreated into the horizon and I could make out a few glints of lights coming from my house.

My heart dropped and I made sure to go as slowly as possible up the steps. When I finally was well into the trees, my head was clamoring:

I wanted to see my cousin, but I didn't want to leave my home either.

What if he doesn't like me?

Will _me_ just popping up make him hate me?

I don't want to leave Sasuke.

But it would be awesome to get out of here.

_But Auntie will be dead..._

I silenced my thoughts at once and noticed that I wasn't alone. I looked up from the path and stopped, my senses on high alert.

I heard a twig crack.

My heart started pounding, "Hello?" I called out. _That was stupid_, I thought. It's not like murderers answer you with a "Hey, heads up: You're not making it home tonight, but I felt like I was being rude by not saying hello back."

I smirked.

I continued walking and felt the presence disappear.

_Must be my imagination._

I made it to my front door alive and slid it open.

"I'm home, Auntie!" I kicked off my sandals and walked into the living room. She was sitting on a cushion reading the newspaper.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here all day, Sasu-"

"It's okay, Aria." She laid the paper on the table and looked at me. My Auntie was still young, around 35, but the illness made her look like she was ten years older than that.

"I was thinking about what I made you promise, about your cousin. I realize it isn't fair. Sasuke-kun is a good and honest man and will take care of you when I'm gone. This house will also go to you-"

I cut her off, "I'm going Auntie. I will see my cousin, and hopefully we'll get along." I smiled, "Sasuke said that he'll wait and told me to go. I know he really doesn't want me too. But he doesn't want to hold me back, especially since its family."

My Aunt beamed at me, "Thank you, love." She gave me one of her rare hugs.

I really hoped that this was the right idea.

* * *

**Another update! wOOt! Haha, so me and my boyfriend got into a little argument about whether I should put 'jingled' as a way to describe a wind chime sound. **

**He said to put "wind chime chime..." and I was soooo not having that, haha. So we stuck with 'jingled'! **

**So I hope you liked this chapter, I had to cut it down because the original was nine pages. Sorry that it's late, I have another essay to do about William**

** Shakespeare and all that jazz. Questions? Just message me! And reviews are wonderfully received!  
**


	9. Interlude Pt II

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it characters!**

* * *

**Aria**

**Interlude: Pt. II**

* * *

"Ahhh, the water _feels so nice_." I sank myself further into the hot water until half my face was fully submerged. I washed off the icky sweat and dirt earlier and so all I needed to do was relax.

My mind wandered to the man I met in the woods. I still wonder who he is. He's all dark and cold and mysterious, and he always has a look on him that says 'I'm relaxed now but do one thing and I can spring into action' kinda feel. His chakra was also amazing. He must be really strong.

_I wish I coul__d tell you that I'm capable of giving you a decent fight. _I giggled. The last time I saw a shinobi was a few that had retired at the inn. But they weren't anything special, just genin and their sensei.

"_Your Auntie is wise about you becoming a ninja. I did__ train at the academy, and graduated. But being a ninja isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's dangerous, it's lonely, and it's miserable. If I ever have a child, I don't think I would want that kind of world for it."_

The look that he gave me told me he was telling the truth. I hated lying to people, but it was for the best.

I remember being lonely. When I was training, my Auntie didn't allow me to go or people to come. Being away from the boy who made me the happiest was terrible, but I knew that I would see him again, my Sasuke.

I remember the first time I met him...

* * *

"_Auntie, can I go out and play?" _My hair came down to my chin and the bangs got into my eyes. They always bothered me, making my eyes sting.

"_Hmm, okay. But be careful and stay close to the house. Just yell if you get into any trouble."_

My Auntie was still healthy and strong then.

"_Yeah__! No problem!" _I saluted her and ran out the door. I was four then, so the world needed exploring.

The trees held all kind of hidden wonders.

Since I was always by myself, I would make up imaginary friends to play with. Auntie didn't really like other people and usually she would stay in the house, so I didn't have any friends.

I knew Auntie was a ninja. I would see her fly through the trees like a bird, graceful and free, training when she could so she wouldn't get 'rusty'. She taught me a few things, but my full training wouldn't come until later.

Maybe it was natural for a ninja not to trust people?

That day, I wandered a little too far away from home, but what Auntie didn't know didn't hurt her. I made my way down to the lake, it was a hot day and I felt like playing in the water for a bit.

I remember the sun reflecting harshly over the lake, and I was happy for my long bangs since it didn't hurt my eyes all that much.

"_Ooooh, raspberries!" _I popped one in my mouth, savoring the sweetness. When that was done, my impatient attitude overran me and I devoured another twenty. Satisfied, I ran back to the water's edge and checked the water with my big toe. The water was lukewarm and I put the rest of that foot, and the other, and let the fish come to investigate them. I laughed because it tickled.

What I didn't realize was that a storm was coming until it was too late. The wind howled, the rain felt like needles against my skin, and the lake was rising. I tried running back up the path, but the wind was strong and knocked my little body down. A crack of thunder was deafening and I started to cry and scream.

"_AUNTIE!" _ I knew she was probably looking for me in the woods and in the village, but not so far away as the lake. She wasn't coming any time soon to save me. I huddled near a rock, soaking wet. I remembered that I kept screaming and crying until my voice grew hoarse. A flash of lightning blinded me momentarily, I didn't see the tree falling at me until it was almost too late.

I sat there paralyzed, too afraid to run.

I then felt a pair of arms pick me up quickly and the tree thudded to the ground, the wood splintered over the rock.

"_Hey, you okay? Are you hurt anywhere__?__" _I realized I was still in these arms and looked up at my savior.

I remember expecting a strong man, but ended up with a lanky boy that was probably a few years older than me. But his eyes were trustworthy.

I shook my head and he smiled down at me, "_Thank __goodness. I was afraid that something happened to you."_

That's when I realized he had a huge gash on his upper arm.

"_You're hurt, Onii-san." _ I sniffled as tears gathered in my eyes.

"_Ah, don't worry. It doesn't hurt much." He grinned._

"_Liar."_

He blanched, his face slowly moved into a crooked smile.

"_Well, we should get you out of here. Can you show me where you live?"_

Even though he was hurt, and even though it was still raining hard, he was patient with my young self and allowed me to lead him in circles. We were near my house when-

"_ARIA! Thank goodness!" _ I felt my Auntie pull me up in her arms, hugging me tightly.

"_Auntie... I was so scared." _I begin to cry once again.

"_Thank you for bringing my niece home to me. How __can I repay you?"_

"_Onii-san is hurt, protecting me." _I pointed to his arm.

He rubbed the back of his head, _"It's nothing really-__"_

"_NOTHING? That gash is really deep." _Auntie Kana's face was serious as she grabbed him by his good arm and tugged him into the house.

"_Sit." _She used her Auntie big-voice. She laid a medical kit out with a hot bowl of water.

The golden haired kid did what he was ordered.

"_I'm going to give you some anesthetics to help lessen the pain while I sew you closed." _She washed the area and gave him a shot. She brought out a curved needle and very long string.

I saw him grimace as the needle pierced his skin

My eyes widened in horror, but determination replaced it with a smile. _"You can hold my hand, Onii-san!"_

His smile reached his gentle eyes.

"_Thank you."_

My hand was so small in his back then, he was so big and strong even though he was only nine. Even today he was strong and big.

Since then, he's always been there. We played every day when I was little, but when I was nine, my Auntie told me the truth of everything.

I agreed learning the ways of the shinobi.

My Sasuke and I were separated; he had to tend to his Grandfather's blacksmith shop after the old man finally kicked the bucket.

I didn't see him again for another 4 years because of it. My Auntie told me I couldn't have any distractions while I learned. So I stayed upon that hill when my Auntie went into town.

She usually told me that Sasuke was doing fine and that he missed me.

My Auntie taught me all of her jutsus and the Uzumaki's clans Fuuinjutsu. I realized that even though I was decent at it, it wasn't my forte.

Training was hard, but it was so worth it. I managed to come up with a few of my own jutsus, but some of them failed.

They day when I finally saw him is when he was walking in the woods. He was older, more muscular and taller. How time can change a person.

But I knew him, I could spot him anywhere.

I hid behind a tree, being as quiet as I could. His nose, like usual, was stuck in a book. He still wore his greasy apron, most likely taking a break.

"_Mmm-mmm-mmm..." _ I hummed, loud enough so that he can hear it but not too so he wouldn't know the location. It reached him and he turned around so quickly that it was comical. I stifled a giggle; his face was the epitome of the word confused.

I was then behind him a few yards away, he didn't even notice.

"Onii-san..." I whispered.

Hearing my voice, he stiffened. He turned to face me, "Aria-chan..?"

I gave him a smile.

"Aria-chan!" His eyes widened and huge smile appeared on his face. He then proceeded on giving me the biggest hug.

"_Onii-san... squish..ing..."_ I managed.

"_Oh so__rry__" _His gentle, hazel gaze was something that I missed terribly and I found myself in his arms again.

"_You've grown, Aria-chan..."_

"_So haven't you."_

* * *

After that, looking at him, I began seeing him in a totally different way. But it was weird; I've known him my entire life and always saw him as my big brother.

Never like this.

* * *

**So sorry it's a few days late! I had a chorus concert to attend the day I was supposed to publish but I didn't get home until late! And the next day I was being lazy~**

**Haha. So this isn't my best chapter and I'm kind of disappointed in how it turned out but I know a few of you are waiting for it to be released so here it is! I'll make it up to you in the next chapter!  
**

**And I'll work extra hard tomorrow!  
**

**Until then, reviews are lovely or messaging is awesome too!  
**

**Thank you for reading!  
**


	10. Interlude Pt III

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters! Enjoy~  
**

* * *

**Interlude: Pt. III**

* * *

I looked at myself in the mirror. The water from my bath cascaded down and my long, red hair stuck to me like a second skin.

My breasts were fuller than two years ago and I was finally filling in. I had an oval shaped face with large eyes, defined eyebrows and full, pink lips. I was content with the way that I looked. I wasn't ugly, but I definitely wasn't a beauty either. The only thing really eye catching about me is that I had two different colored eyes, one russet and the other gray-blue.

I covered my russet one.

When my home was attacked, my eye got damaged to the point of uselessness. Auntie Kana used my mother's gray-blue one to replace it. I'm not angry about it or anything. To tell the truth, it made me feel better knowing that I have a part of my mother always with me, always looking out.

I smiled at my pun.

I dried the rest of myself off and put on my white cotton kimono to lounge in. My hair just got wrapped in a towel when my Auntie came barging in.

"Sorry I took so long, Auntie."

"Aria, you're leaving."

"Wait! What? So soon?" My cheeks flushed in anger, "But… You look fine! I have to say goodbye-"

"THERE IS NO TIME FOR GOODBYES, ARIA." Even sickly she was scary, "The village is being attacked and I believe they're after you."

"Sasuke..." My eyes grew wide.

"Grab the essentials and go immediately, Aria."

"But, Sasuke..."

"GO!"

I immediately scrambled out of the bathroom to my bedroom and grabbed the emergency pack in my closet. I then grabbed a thick, purple kimono jacket that would keep me from getting chilled. My hair tumbled from its fuzzy cage and I let it be, I didn't have time for this.

I heard a crash and froze, blood pounding in my ears.

_What's the point in running?_

I dropped the pack on the floor and ran to the main entrance. Auntie stood a few steps back, her skinny hands clasped together.

"Auntie!" I saw that she had sealed the front door.

"I thought I told you to leave, Aria? Now go, before he breaks down the door! I can't hold it forever!" I saw that beads of sweat started rolling down her face, her teeth clenching together.

"Auntie... Please, let me help you. I'm a shinobi too!" I felt a sudden rush of anger; I can't leave her like this! I can't keep running anymore…

"Auntie, I-!"

"Aria... Don't... Please..." I could see her start to weaken; the look in her eyes weakening my resolve as well. I was about to turn back to my room when there was another bash at the door, splintering it to tiny pieces.

"Shit!" Auntie backed up a few paces as a shadow flew through the smoke, its katana slicing at her, hitting their mark, the spray of red droplets splattering across my face as the shadow stepped back into the smoke.

Time seemed to stand still.

After what felt like an eternity, my Auntie Kana, the only family I have... The only mother I have ever known fell to her knees and collapsed to the ground.

Dead.

I stared at her lifeless body, its crimson contents slowly pooling out. Its life force gone, all gone.

I looked at her murderer. Shaking, I fell to my knees suddenly feeling afraid. I couldn't move, I should've listened to her. I felt paralyzed as I looked upon the same face that helped me collect the raspberries. The statue of cold marble was now decorated in red.

He seemed like a raging demon; covered in blood and gore, raised from hell itself, with a maniacal grin that could scare the devil himself.

Maybe that's why he was thrown out.

"Why..?" I whispered, a tear rolled down my cheek.

His face went serious all of a sudden, like he wasn't just killing countless people. He looked down at me making me feel small and feeble, "Orders."

I blanched.

_I need to fight… why can't I stand? I can't let him get away with this…_

My legs wouldn't agree with me and I was about two seconds away from pissing myself. I trained for so long, so hard to become stronger and it all came down to this.

Nothing.

I couldn't fight, I didn't expect this.

_What did you expect?_

He suddenly lashed out and gripped my arm tightly, causing me to wince and brought me to my feet. Not realizing what he wanted, I fell and hit my head.

I remember thinking; I didn't want to expect anything...

Everything after that was hazy; I would really not remember anything.

Nothing, not anything at all.

* * *

**So I would miss the deadline again, as usual. Haha. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think I edited it like five times before being a tad satisfied with this. **

**Questions/comments are most welcomed!  
**

**Thank you so much for reading this far and I'm sorry about being late so I'll definitely update on Friday!  
**


	11. Andante

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**_  
_

* * *

**Track 8: Andante. - Walking Pace**

* * *

"Madara said that he'll let her out for a bit if she spoke, but it's been almost a month now and she hasn't peeped a word." Juugo sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "I've been trying my hardest to help, but she's so stubborn." He put a cup of water on the tray; a plate of salad was its companion.

I sighed. _She seemed like she would be the kind to scream at us and demand revenge for herself. I guess that calculation was wrong. _"I should probably go to her this time." I grabbed the tray from the surprised Juugo.

"She hasn't seen you since you killed her Aunt. How do you think she might react?"

"Exactly. We don't know how she'll act, so if I go in there, then it might ring up something. It would be best if she does react." I said and walked down the hall to her door, Juugo trailing behind.

"She's a trained shinobi, Sasuke. Her Aunt made sure of that, so just don't do anything rash. I'd hate to deal with Madara if something happened to either of you."

"I know." I muttered. I knew the day that I killed her Aunt that she was a ninja, the focus to hide her chakra was obliterated in that single swing.

"She's strong, Sasuke."

"I doubt she'll be able to take me down."

"I hope you're right." Juugo whispered as I opened the door.

It was dark except for the sunlight streaming through a narrow slit of a window. Dust particles swayed and floated through the beam making the scene eery.

She was sitting in the wooden chair below it.

The vitality that originally came from her had dwindled down to barely anything. She wasn't that rash, obnoxious girl anymore: Her head hung slightly, her eyes downcast. She seemed to be staring at her hands. Her skin was pale and her cheeks have sunken in a little.

I broke her.

"Good morning, Aria." Juugo smiled sarcasticly at her, she said nothing, "Sasuke has joined us today."

I could barely see it, but her eyes flickered.

_She's not totally gone. _"Juugo, you can go now. I want to be alone with... our guest for a little while."

He sighed, exasperated, "Whatever. Just make sure she eats something." He closed the door behind him.

We sat in silence for several minutes. The only sound was the cicadas whirring their song, unashamed. Her vitality has increased a fraction, I could feel it.

"Has Juugo been treating you well? I know he can be a little much, but he means well." I didn't receive an answer, so I kept rambling, "How do you like it here, Aria? Cozy… like home?" I felt a sneer come to my lips.

She looked up then, her russet and grey-blue eyes were dead. But she remained silent, her eyes boring into mine. She looked like she hasn't slept well in a while.

"Ah, well that got your attention." I grabbed the plate of food, "It seems that you trusted the wrong people, and look where it got you. Your Aunt's dead and your whole village is too. Here, eat something. I know it's not like Auntie's cooking, but you don't have to starve yourself. Look at yourself. Are you that picky? Selfish little girl." I let the plate shatter to the floor.

She didn't even flinch; her gaze remained as blank as ever. But… the vitality meter in her was going up. Her ghostly cheeks turning a pale pink.

I turned the information in my head over, until I found the right trump card. Remembering the day at the river, I smiled.

"When I was rampaging through your little village, I came to this little shop. Reminded me of a blacksmith's. The man inside of it looked like Goldie Locks," I was coming closer. "Totally caught him by surprise. It was so easy to kill him, that weakling."

She started shaking. _Yes._

"You know what his last words were? As he lay dying on the floor, he said 'Aria, I'm so sorry. I can't be there to help you anymore, my little songbird'. Pathetic, right?" I mocked.

She continued to sit there, a darkness settling around her.

"Did you know him? He seemed to really love you, what was his name? Did you even know it? Haha, not only are you selfish, but you're stuck up, songbird." I used her nickname, hoping to bring someting forth.

Just when I thought her vitality would go up, it shot right down. Her shaking stopped, there were no tears.

She looked like a fucking mental patient.

_Dammit. _I sighed."So, are you going to agree to Madara's plan or are you going to rot here in this prison? I would choose the former if I were you, songbird. If Madara has a pawn that's useless, he'll just throw it out." I walked closer to her and leaned down to her ear, "What's your choice, songbird? Use your songs for Madara or have them wiped out forever?"

Her voice cracked as she spoke, "I'd rather die."

I smirked and backed up, "Well, the songbird finally found her voice again."

Her voice was barely audible, "His name was Sasuke. Like yours. I loved him... I still do."

I could feel her vitality creep up more and more. She could explode at any moment.

I grinned at her pain.

"Love sucks, doesn't it?"

She turned her head quickly and gave me a strange look, like she was trying to figure me out. She stood up, her head cocked, "Like revenge, right? Isn't that _right_, Sasuke?"

I narrowed my gaze at her, "What are you talking about."

She gave me a strange, lopsided smile,"That song that you heard me singing when we first met was one of my jutsus, my Auntie's to be exact." She paused and seem to hesitate on what to say next.

She breathed in, it came out shaky and began again and spoke as if she was talking to a child, "She was trained since she was young to be a spy, and she wanted me to follow in her footsteps and since I had a nice voice, she trained me to use it. Oh, Sasuke, it wasn't _just_ some ancient song that I made you believe that it was."

Her smile broadened, and with her eyes that wide like that she had all the qualifications of a mental patient, "With it, I can infiltrate the person's mind without them even knowing."

I could feel myself glaring at her, wanting to tear her throat out.

She giggled and threw her head back, "When you were paying so much attention to words of my song, you were so wrapped up in it that I could slip through into your mind. Every memory that was yours is now mine. I know what you've done..." She made a gasp, offended as her head popped back up, "Calling _me _selfish, of _all people_? You should look at yourself a little bit more closely before you start accusing others and being a hypocrite..." Her smile dissipated and and she looked to the side as if she forgot something. She plopped back in the chair, elbow on the rest and her head in her hand as though she had all the world's problems in one.

I was at my boiling point, I couldn't stand here and let her insult me like this!

She looked at me through the corner of her eye, "Sasuke, you are the most selfish and arrogant person I have ever known. That revenge you've put in your heart is the only thing keeping you going… You're a pitiful person." Tears welled in her eyes. "My Auntie Kana wanted revenge for her sister's death, my Mother. She loved her very much and couldn't forgive the people who killed her. If it wasn't for me, she would've gone out to find them herself, but she had to think about another way so she didn't have to." She sighed, her vitality diminishing, "Auntie did some research I guess and finally found the right technique to get back at them. She never told me what, but it weakened her and slowly was taking her life force." With that, the pink in her cheeks disappeared, her eyes going blank.

"Don't end up like her…" she barely whispered out the last words. The last of that burst of energy dwindling away. The airborn dust finally calming from her episode.

I could feel my inner demon screaming to be let loose, to take her life right then and there. How dare she go rummaging through my personal memories? _Fucking bitch._

I couldn't kill her, but I could use my Tsukuyomi on her. I walked back over to her and gripped her chin in my fingers hard and made her look at me, grinning widely when we made eye contact.

I made her relive each slaughter of her fellow villagers.

I made her relive the slaughter of the man she loved.

I made her relive the slaughter of her Aunt.

I could feel her shaking under my fingertips; tears ran down each of my digits to my elbow.

I let her go after a minute, and pushed her off the chair and started toward the door before I could do anyting more.

She crashed to the floor in a fit of silent cries.

"Sasuke…" The pain in her voice was raw. I couldn't help but pause; I didn't know which Sasuke it was for.

She was a very unsettling girl.

I turned around and saw her looking at me, her weak arms supporting her torso; her face twisted up in a mask of pain. The look in her eyes made my heart clench, she looked so much like him...

She panted heavily, "Is this how you felt too?"

Something inside of me twisted as I felt my face contort in rage, "SHUT UP!"

I was about to strike when Suigetsu grabbed me from behind, "I thought we agreed to no more killing, Sasuke." he sneered.

I struggled against him, almost letting free when a voice of reason reached my ears.

"She's in no condition to fight, Sasuke. She's all words right now and probably wants you to kill her. You must remember that she's key on getting your revenge. You can kill her later." Juugo appeared in the doorway, arms crossed and in his adult form.

"Tsh."I admitted defeat and shrugged Suigetsu's hands off of me.

"Suigetsu, take Sasuke outta here; I'll take care of her."

"Come, come." Suigetsu sing-songed and started walking towards the door, me following. In the hallway, I turned my head to get a final look at her. She was sitting in her bed, Juugo checking her for any wounds. She was blank again, looking at nothing.

My heart clenched. I know that look.

The look of someone who has nothing.

_Someone like me._

"Sasuke, what happened?" A voice said in front of me, I instantly recognized it as Madara's.

I turned back around, and pushed past him,"Don't worry, I didn't hurt her. But I did get our little songbird to sing."

* * *

**I MADE THE DEADLINE! Even if it is a little late... hehe. Sorry.**

**Finally out of high school! Yay! So my chapters might update more frequently. So, I decided to include the meaning of the chapter's title because they're all musical definitions, hope you like it!**

**Reviews are welcomed along with any questions! **


	12. Berceuse

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**

* * *

**Track 9: Berceuse. – A lullaby or cradle song in lilting triple or compound time.**

* * *

I didn't see her again after our incident for three weeks.

I sat in my dark room, a candle casting long shadows across the wall. She was my key to my revenge I supposed, if that's what everyone is saying. I could do it by myself, but with her I can be stronger. I've felt that power coming from her, just enough to be a perfect pawn. But that desolate look in her eyes, the roaring hate that she has for me. The look she gave me when I asked her was enough to show me that nothing in this world could make her do it.

I could feel her, but just barely. Her vitality was at an all-time low.

_Was she going to give up?_

Why couldn't things have stayed the same? Why did Madara want her, this? I ran my fingers through my hair, trying hard not to rip it out. All these unanswered questions stirring a pain that sat between my brows, nagging and twisting; spreading until it reached my temples, causing them to throb.

_Why did I care? Why did I care? Why did I care?_

I remembered the day at the lake, when I saw her with that man. The way she looked at him… I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut, demanding it away. Rubbing at the pain, I stood up from my bed and paced my room.

_She's just a girl. A girl that reminds me of him a little. Did all of this come back to haunt me? _

The pain in my head grew and grew until it felt like someone was stabbing an ice pick into my brain. I picked up a chair and smashed it against the wall, the wood splintered and scattered across the floor.

It didn't make the pain go away.

I sank back down on the bed, staring at the wall since I had nothing better to do.

"_Sasuke... is this how you felt too?"_

I could see her clearly, right in front of me.

But it really wasn't her; just something to help with the pain.

The mirage was smiling at me, reaching its mismatched eyes. It didn't look at me with hate or contempt, just kindness. It was so small and fragile, but so strong at the same time. How jealous I was of this mirage as it wrapped its arms around my neck, how it could forgive so easily while I couldn't.

The cool hands playing with my hair, sending goose bumps along my neck and down my spine.

I morphed that pure soul into something black and twisted, I thought as I remembered her deranged smile. Is that how I look when the demon is let loose? Half the time I don't even remember. It was scary how I could lose it like that, how I can let the pain out with anger that hurts people. But do I care?

I don't.

Distancing myself from the very people that I had cared about is another pain that I've created. How every night I lived in Konoha, the nightmares would shake me in my sleep, never being able to escape. The pain when I woke up in the morning, my throat hoarse of unconscious screaming; the shock of losing everything never lessening. How the coldness crept in my heart, the twisting mass of darkness in my soul.

The pain in my head lessened with each stroke of its hand, lessening until it was a distant memory.

The mirage looked at me, its eyes gentle as its hands cupped my face, looking happy. Humming its haunted song as it kissed my forehead, then the warmth of its lips disappeared as the mirage faded.

Happiness was a mirage that can never be reached; pain is what makes everything real.

Pain is the thing I will ever feel.

* * *

I walked down the dark hallway, it was empty. My footsteps echoed off the cracked walls, the sound lonely as I found myself in front of her door. It was made so she couldn't open it from her side; I turned the knob and walked into the dark room.

The slit window let a narrow beam of the moon's light into the room. My eyes adjusted quickly and I saw that she lay on her bed, unaware that I was here. I walked to her bed and looked down on her pale face. Her skin was a gray pale; her eyes were shadowed as if she had some kind of sickness. Her breathing was shallow, and her heart beat was faint as I laid my head against her chest. She didn't even flinch as I touched her face and found that she was cold.

"Why are you giving up?" I said aloud, but there was no answer from her.

I felt a chill on my back.

"We can make her forget." Madara said behind me, I turned and saw he was leaning casually against a wall.

I waited for more.

"Or we can morph her memories into something else. It can take a few days, but I can do it."

I stood there and studied him, not sure whether to believe him or not, "What would you morph it into?" I glanced at Aria.

He moved into a straighter position, "That the Leaf killed her entire village because they found out something they weren't supposed to. That you happened to see and saved her life, and because of that debt she will follow you into whatever path you take. She would be a better tool." He sounded confident.

"When were you going to tell me? It seems like you were planning this the entire time." I smirked and crossed my arms.

"You're sharp, Sasuke, heh. I'll begin it tomorrow morning when she wakes. If she doesn't, I'll make her." He then disappeared into the shadows.

Finding myself alone again, I looked at her once more. I traced my thumb up her cheek and a small sigh came from her.

My hand jerked away as I rushed out of her room, my heart uncharacteristically pounding in my chest.

_Why did I care?_

* * *

There was an ache in my chest as I heard her screams.

First, they were of protest.

Then they were of disbelief.

Finally, of the pain and agony and hate.

On the last day, I woke to silence. It pressed into my ears, drumming.

How loud the silence could be.

I walked out of my room and made my way down the hallway until I reached her door, my hand hovering over the door knob, hesitant. I finally gripped it and opened the door slowly, unsure on what I would find.

I saw Madara leaning against a wall, he nodded and my eyes slid over to the small form sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hands sat in her lap, her eyes hidden by her bangs, a slight slump in her shoulders. I closed the door with a loud click and she looked up, surprised.

When our eyes met, my throat constricted a bit and it took some effort to look calm. Her eyes didn't hold that strange hollowness, but a bitter pain. She stood up, her hair falling over her shoulder. Walking over to me, tears started welling with each step. I could feel the pain radiating from her, but she was trying to stay as strong as possible to face me.

Aria stopped a few paces in front of me and dipped into a deep bow, a few tears dripped to the floor. Trying to hold back sobs, her voice cracked as she whispered, "Thank… you… Thank you so much."

I looked up at Madara who seemed to have a self-satisfied air about him.

I looked back down at her, "Hn."

I walked out of the room as she broke down in a fit of sobs, her cries echoing down the hallway into my heart.

* * *

**I updated early! w00t! Haha. I want to say thank you for all these amazing reviews I'm getting!**

**They're really boosting my confidence on writing this! I hope I will keep up your expectations!**

**I shall try to update early come Wednesday since I have prom, but if I don't I'm really sorry!**

**I hope you keep reading! Reviews are welcomed along with any questions. :D**


	13. Brio

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 10: Brio. - _Vivacity, fire or energy_**

* * *

Why are you looking at me like that?

I took away everything from you, but here you are, thanking me.

You hated me.

Despised me.

Pitied me.

Don't cry like I've helped you, I'm only going to hurt you more. You won't remember what I've done... but I will. It'll haunt me, while you tease me with that smile of yours because that's what I wanted.

Aria, look at me.

I've destroyed you and made you like me. You know that feeling of unnatural hunger for blood that's growing in your stomach, that's revenge.

_Don't be like me._

I knock at me door broke me from my reverie, it was soft and hesitant and I knew it was her.

To come haunt me again.

"Sasuke-san, may I come in?" Her voice was the same as her knock.

I opened my eyes to the ceiling and sighed as I forced myself off my bed and opened the door, leaning casually and trying not to look like I've been secretly loathing myself.

"What do you want?"

Her face turned pink as she rubbed the back of her head, she looked like him so much, and so sheepish in the way she did that, "I wanted to say I'm sorry for that little spectacle I put on... I didn't mean to cry. It comes out and I can't stop. Always been that way, a crybaby..." She looked up at me through her thick eyelashes, waiting for a response.

I wondered if she knew how beautiful she is?

I continued to look at her, trying to keep my cool, "I didn't do anything."

"Of course you did! You saved my life, I'm so grateful for that, Sasuke-san!" She smiled, but I noticed that her eyes grew tight with pain.

"I didn't save the ones who were important to you."

She blanched then smiled, "It's okay, I forgave you the moment I woke up. It wasn't your fault... Nobody would have known what was going to happen."

_I did._

I pushed myself from the frame and turned my back to her, "Is that all?"

"No."

I turned around, "Then what is it?"

She scratched her cheek, "Madara-san wants you to train me."

"Aren't you already trained?"

"Yes, but… I didn't really ask him why. He kinda scares me." She gave a small smile.

I studied her, "Is that it-"

I felt every fiber in my body tighten as her slender arms wrap around my neck.

When was the last time I was this close to someone?

The way they smell, they felt?

Other places I've never felt before pressing themselves against me, her fingers sliding their way into my hair sending those shivers down my spine.

Herself sliding into my very being.

"No…Thank you again, Sasuke-san..." Her warm breath tickling my ear. Her warmth melting me slowly, the iciness that formed inside of me those years ago.

The iciness returned when I was left alone once again. I stood there for what seems like hours, all alone, the door closed long ago. I finally fell back into a chair, facing the ceiling, the silence buzzing in my ears. Maybe that was my blood telling me that I'm still alive.

I didn't remember falling asleep.

_She stood in front of me, her hair swinging wildly in the blazes that surrounded us. It didn't hurt, and she didn't seem to be in pain either. Her eyes were set intently on me, her face unreadable like always. We stared at each other until she walked her way towards me; she seemed to glide through the fire like a phantom, her hair becoming part of the blaze._

_No. She was this fire._

_She didn't speak, but her eyes said it all._

_The answer I needed._

_She smiled my silent thoughts and touched my face, her fingertips red hot. It burned me, and I know I deserve it. Her conscious mind might not remember, but her suppressed thoughts did. The world around me grew hotter and hotter as her face leaned up to mine, her toes lifting her to whisper in my ear:_

"_Don't you dare forget." She said as the blazes engulfed us._

I woke with a start; I felt the cold knuckles of a hand on my forehead.

I felt dizzy and weak and hot.

My skin felt like it was covered in a sunburn.

I immediately grabbed the wrist that belonged to the hand and looked at the owner, she was startled.

"I-I came to check up on you. You didn't look so well before... and so I just... You have a fever." She quickly ended.

"I'm fine." I stood and my world seemed to slide from underneath me, then swirled as a pair of arms steadied the ground.

"No, you're not. Just lay down for a while." She led me to my bed. Too weak to protest, I let her remove my shirt and lay me down. The cool sheet she laid on me felt like heaven.

"You probably caught a cold from sleeping in the chair, dummy." I heard her voice come from my bathroom, the sound of running water echoing. She came back with a cold face cloth and laid it across my brow.

"You shouldn't do that anymore." She laughed. Another cold paradise was laid across my chest.

"Hn." I looked away from her.

"Hm, maybe I gave it to you. Who knows when the last time you were exposed to the public."

I glared and she laughed.

She looked like him.

Maybe that's why it hurts. My blurry would was dotted as my breaths came out in gasps.

"You look like him."

She stiffened, wide-eyed, "Like whom?"

"Like him, that stupid idiot..."

She cocked her head, "I don't know who you're talking about."

"That... stupid... Naruto..." I breathed, the light fading from my eyes as I could feel myself falling under, a tumult that I couldn't control.

"Naruto..?"

* * *

I woke a few hours later, my fever broken. The cloths were gone and so was Aria, an imprint on the sheet was the only thing left.

I sat up, my head pounding and sweat dripped down my temple. I felt better but this cold had a few more hours for me. The door opened and Juugo stepped in holding a glass of water.

"Thought you might need this." He said and handed it to me. I gulped it down and the pounding lessened.

"Where's Aria?"

"In the strategy room. She left your room kinda spooked. She told me that you had a cold and to wake you up in a few hours for water. She looked kind of dazed... Did you do something to her?" He gave a suspicious glance.

"I didn't do anything to her... Well, I don't think I did." I fumbled. I remember her waking me up and the cold cloths but nothing else… maybe something about her giving me the cold?

Juugo shrugged, "Well, Madara wants you."

"That man always wants me." I grunted and put my shirt back on, sweat making it stick to my back.

We walked down the hall and were greeted by Suigetsu.

"Just in time." He grinned sharply.

I ignored him and walked in the room. Aria sat in a chair, her hair up in a bun, eyes serious and determined. They never looked at me.

"What is it?" I asked coolly.

Madara looked at me, "The Leaf ninja left the village. Aria said she needed to go back to her home to gather a few supplies."

I glanced at Aria and saw that her face was red.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Accompany her. I don't want her to get in a little trouble."

I scowled, "Whatever."

* * *

I was surprised that she didn't lag me down.

We ran swiftly through the trees, the icy wind pricking my face. Her pace kept up with mine, maybe even a little faster.

We reached the lakes edge and she stopped suddenly.

I looked at her, waiting for a reason.

She looked at the water lapping at her toes, her breaths coming in shakes. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Head snapping up she looked determined.

"I can do this." she whispered and stepped onto the crystal waves.

* * *

**Updated~**

**Haha. Thank you for all of those amazing reviews I've been getting! They're really appreciated!**

**I'll update again in a few days, so please be patient my friends~ Haha. **

**Reviews are lovely and questions are welcomed in my inbox! **

**Arigato~**


	14. Duet

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Duet. - A piece of music written for two performers.**

* * *

The floorboards creaked underneath their feet as they quickly swept their way to girl's bedroom. The house felt desolate and lonely, and a thin coating of dust covered everything. It was warmer in the house, but their breath was still visible.

She had to quickly walk through the entrance because the blood of her Aunt was still there, though the body was long gone. Her heart pounded so hard she felt as though it was going to burst through her chest. She was sure the man could hear it, thumping so loudly in this dead silence.

"This way." She whispered, afraid to disturb the stagnant peace. She led her companion down a long hallway, their sandals clacking against the wood making the girl wince with each step. The man followed a few steps behind, studying her slightly slouched posture. He knew she was on the edge of cracking; she hadn't had a proper moment to mourn the loss of her family and friends. He felt sorry for her in a way; he knew what it was like.

She slid open a door at the end and entered a dark room, her eyes adjusted quickly and was almost relieved by the familiar surroundings. Living in an unfamiliar room for the past few weeks was really uncomfortable; it was like a treat just to get out of it, now being in her _own_ room with her _own _belongings felt like Christmas. She stood in the doorway for some time, taking in everything. It was all the same, nothing was disturbed except that the closet door was open and a small green pack laid cocked on the floor. The fuzzy memories ran through her head, of the Leaf Ninja slicing open her sickly Aunt... and then the man coming in to save her before the Leaf nin could kill her too. She remembered him taking her away, the acrid taste of smoke filling her lungs from the burning houses. 'It's okay' the girl remembered him saying before everything went black. An iciness settled in the girl's stomach, hardening her for what she was about to ask. She turned back to the man, a strange look on her face.

"What?" The word came out harsher than the man wanted; he could taste the pain radiating off of her.

The girl grabbed the front of the man's shirt and tugged him into her room. The man didn't expect this from her and was surprised at when she looked at him, her eyes saying not to do anything about it. He let himself be pulled into her room and pushed him on the floor. She straddled him and leaned down her head as her face came close to his, the front of his shirt wrinkling in the curl of her fists. She loosened her grip and her kimono slipped off her shoulder, exposing the soft skin underneath. The man had to hold himself back from fixing it.

"Sasuke...san" Her small hands cupped his face as her forehead touched his.

"Madara-san told me everything… about what happened to you."

The man's body stiffened.

"We're the same. The same people took away everything from us; the same feeling lies in us both. But I wonder if my resolve is strong like yours." The girl's fingers ran through the man's black hair, pushing it back to see his eyes. The man looked up at her, her face tight with pain as her tears fell on his face.

"It hurts so much, Sasuke-san. Please… does this pain ever go away..?" She looked him in the eye, her eyes intense and watery.

The man blanched, not sure how to answer her question. He's been by himself, all these years and no one knew truly how he felt, and no one really asked... but her, and her pain was fresh and the wound still open. The man thought of all the times when he would be by himself and wonder the same question, if it ever went away. The pain he felt was a deep throb, not a piercing stab. After a few moments, his eyebrows scrunched together, "No… it never really does."

Her eyes squeezed shut and more tears fell as she pushed herself off of him. She fell to the floor a few feet away, her head in her hands. The man stood up and looked at her before he left the room, knowing that she needed to be left alone. The sound of her sobbing disturbed the quiet, echoing through empty halls. The pain she felt seemed to scour through every inch of her being. Each vein, each cell, every fiber was in pain.

Her soul was burning.

The sobs racked her body, she tried stifling it within a blanket but she knew that it wasn't any use. The cry tore through her throat and into the air, the birds outside crying along with her. Tears ran down her nose and dripped onto her bed, turned musty and dank and dusty. She cried out her Aunt's name, pain coming in waves that overwhelmed her. With her head in between her thighs she withered more into herself, crumbling from the inside out until she lay in a ball still clutching the blanket.

The man watched from the door, concerned as the girl cried herself to sleep, her moans still coming from her deep slumber. He watched as one more tear rolled across her face as she whispered a name.

"Sasuke..." Another whimper escaped her lips, "Sasuke..."

The man's face scrunched up, not knowing which Sasuke she was talking to. Sighing he walked over to her and knelt. He brushed her hair away from her face and touched her cheek, it felt damp under his fingers and he used his thumb to brush the tear away.

"I'm here, songbird." He said without emotion. The girl exhaled as though she was holding her breath and a small smile crept on her lips.

The man ran his fingers through the girl's long, red hair that felt like silk. It fell out of its bun a while ago. He sat there in his thoughts for two hours, stroking her hair. He thought about the way she made him felt, how he didn't feel like this in a while.

Maybe ever.

Maybe this is what it's like to care for someone so much. He thought about he threatened her so many times, but she always was patient with him. How she was always smiling at his mistakes, not knowing him but seeing right through him. If only he met her in another life, how he could be there for her... He didn't love her, but it felt like something else. The man decided that the feeling was understanding.

He'll only beg for her sub consciousness' forgiveness.

The man started to stand up when he felt her hand on his, her puffy gaze meeting his. She sat up and put her hand on his face, his heart skipping a beat when their lips met. It was gentle, a light press that lingered for a moment. Warmth spread through the man, but it was short lived when she backed away. But she was still close enough to see that there was a faint scar that went down her right cheek.

The girl looked into the man's conflicted eyes, "Thank you, Sasuke-san."

The man stood up abruptly, "Get ready." He walked out of her room and slid the door closed, all without looking at her.

The girl felt sad as she let her kimono fall off and changed into a gray, tight-fitting mini dress with a hoodie and no sleeves. She let down the zipper in the front to show a fishnet shirt; pair of black spandex made her feel less exposed as she brought up her long hair up in a ponytail. She took out a bag from the closet and filled it with clothes and other things. She picked up her dusty emergency pack and put it in there as well. The girl slung the bag over her shoulders and looked around her old room, a picture of her and her Auntie sat on her desk. She was around five and her Aunt was still healthy. She picked it up and rubbed the dust away, and smiled as she put the picture back down, feeling slightly disturbed by smiling faces. She grabbed the long katana on her wall and held it tightly as though it was the only thing keeping her from disappearing.

She looked around her old room once more.

"I'll be back, Auntie Kana. I swear." With that, she walked silently out of her room and slid the door closed. The man was waiting patiently as he leaned casually against a wall, he didn't look at her.

"You ready?"

The girl thought, and came to a conclusion. She walked back into her Aunt's bedroom and went over to the window. She forgot to close it when she came home that fateful day. Down below, the village was visible, but no people. The same old wind chime sang its high song somewhere in the distance as a breeze swept the bangs from her eyes. It sounded lonely. She closed the stubborn window, the room going dark.

The girl walked back up to the man and smiled; "Now I am."

"Why did you come back here?"

"I needed some things that I couldn't get back at base. Like clean underwear for an example." She chuckled, looking better than she had in a while. But both of them knew the real reason: She needed to go back to know the truth, that it was true that everything she loved was gone and to accept it.

They walked back down the dusty hallway, the silence was back now but there wasn't an eerie feeling about it. The sun shone a little brighter and the birds sung a little louder.

"Sasuke-san?"

"What?"

"What I did… that kiss. I'm sorry, it just came out. I won't ever do it again." She whispered. The shadow of a bird swooped over them; the man was a few feet in front of her.

"I don't care." He turned his head to look at her.

"Oh, I didn't know. It just felt like..."

"Felt like what?"

"Like you've never been… kissed before." She looked at him sheepishly, cheeks flushed pink.

He smirked, "I've been around the female fandom before." He resumed walking.

Her mouth shaped an 'o', "You have a fandom?" She said surprised.

The man sighed and didn't answer.

* * *

**So I did it a lot differently this time! Haha. I decided to end with a light tone because this chapter was slightly depressing... Anyway, I hope you like the way I wrote this chapter, all in third person. I decided to do it this way because the chapter is called 'Duet' and I bet you get my drift from there... And for the ones who don't really get it, a duet is only two people and I decided to include both characters feelings and points of views. It was kind of difficult to call Sasuke and Aria "the man" and "the girl" since I'm so used to writing it as they are. **

**Reviews are lovely and you can message me with any questions and/or discussions!**

**Thank you for reading! **


	15. Quintet

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 12: Quintet. - Composition for five players.**

* * *

We walked side-by-side; the cold air seeped through my skin but not yet reached my bones. But the side where she walked stayed warm, I paid it no mind. The trees quivered in the breeze and the last of their leaves fell into the muddy puddles on the ground.

"Winter's coming soon." Aria whispered, her cheeks and the tip of her nose pink. The path led us back down to the main street, blackened bones of the burnt houses creaked and groaned under their own weight, threatening to collapse. I looked at Aria, her expression was unreadable as always but I noticed that she was looking at surviving splatters of blood on the walls and windows of houses that still stood.

I could feel her eyes on me, "What?" I could feel my eyebrow twitch.

The pink in her cheeks redden more, "You need a hair cut." she quickly said.

I pushed my hair back and scowled, "I like it the way it is."

"Liar. I see the way you get irritated with it. You look depressed with it going over your eyes, you already can't see that well." She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at me.

"You're impossible." I sighed, _she really doesn't know when to give up._

Aria started laughing at that, it sounded strange in the gloomy overcast.

"What's so funny?" I muttered, I haven't heard her laugh in so long.

Her laughter died down to a fit of giggles, "My Auntie says the same thing!"

In that moment I felt belittle by her, how she can so easily talk about her dead Aunt in such light tones. I can't even talk about Itachi without getting angry or upset.

We walked instead of ran, there wasn't any rush to get back. We made our way down another street and found ourselves in front of a forest. An obscured path led downhill to the lake; it's gray waters hinting through the rustling trees. The path grew wider as we neared it, the lake was now in full view. A ray of sun tried to break it's way through the clouds, but it was eventually swallowed up by the wind.

"It's smells like rain," Aria said, "We better hurry, cold and rain don't mix well with me. Do you mind this type of weather, Sasuke-san?"

"It never really bothered me." But she was right, the clouds started getting darker and a moist smell permeated the air. "I guess we should pick up the pace... but we might have an annoying detour."

"What?-!" At that very moment, a blond flash came at me, I pushed Aria behind me and deflected the kunai the was aimed for my throat. My katana grated against his kunai, creating a spray of sparks.

"Sasuke!" The whiskered boy bellowed accusingly, his blue eyes glaring into mine.

I smirked, "Well, well Naruto... Come try to take me _home_ again?"

Naruto pushed against my blade harder and performed a backflip into one of the neighboring trees, a pink-haired kunoichi and a pale, unemotional looking guy joined him.

I could feel Aria's grip on my shirt, a slight tremble vibrated off of her.

"Th-that's... Naruto..?" She whispered, I pretended not to hear her.

My focus was on the idiot in front of me.

Naruto's face shifted to a look of sadness, "Not today, Sasuke. We need that lady behind you."

"What would you want with her? She's useless to you." I glared.

Sakura spoke this time, "The village that you came from... that's her home and everyone was slaughtered. She might know who did this so we can catch them... Sasuke, let her come with us." Her green eyes were intense.

"Aria, tell them who did this to your village."

The trembling stopped and her grip loosened, she stepped out from behind me and I saw that Naruto's eyes grow wide with disbelief.

"I don't have any reason to go with you people," Aria growled, "I know the people who did this and I don't need your help."

Sakura blanched, "Why, we-!"

"You can't do shit since you're the ones who fucking did it!" Aria yelled, surprising even me. I've never seen her angry before, even when I confronted her a few weeks ago. Hate radiated off of her and a small smirk crept up on my lips.

Sakura looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

Aria's face scrunched up in anger, "The Hidden Leaf destroyed my home. The murdered my Auntie, my best friend and my people! I would know those headbands anywhere! How dare you stand there and fain innocence!"

Aria's hair was practically standing up on ends, she was breathing in gasps and I was concerned that she was going to faint. Tears gathered in her eyes and her cheeks were pale. It felt weird, being the composed one. Usually I would already be in combat, but I guess since these people want Aria and not me… I can control myself.

Naruto and Sakura were shocked; the other guy seemed to be calculating the situation.

"Th-that can't be? Granny would never allow something like that to happen!" Naruto's voice was full of disbelief, "Whoever told you that was lying!"

I felt a rain drop on my shoulder, followed by another and another until I was completely soaked. The sky seemed to fall and the rain came down in sheets, completely blurring my vision of the three. I didn't like it.

Complete composure took over Aria as she removed the katana from its sheath, but I could feel the heat of rage coming off of her. "If it wasn't for Sasuke-san, I wouldn't be here right now. Like I said, I would know those headbands anywhere!"

Aria was about to lunge when I put my hand on her shoulder, she looked at me confused, "Sasuke-san?"

"Not today, Aria." I said and grabbed her bag as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, there was a slight twist in my vision and I found myself in my room at base. Aria fell limp in my arm, not used to the Teleportation jutsu. I caught her and slung her bag over my shoulder and carried her to her room, the rain drummed happily above me.

"Do you think I'm strong enough to commit revenge? Do you think I can actually do it?" Aria whispered against my chest, biting her lip.

I plopped her on her bed, "Maybe, depends on how far your hatred goes. I've been living with my hatred for a long time… I thought about letting it go, but…" I trailed off, looking at my fist and thought about what to say next. "It's not something that you can just forget… Aria, you must never forget what those people did to your family and your village. They've taken away everything that you held dear like it was nothing. Your conviction must be strong, Aria. The pain you feel you must turn it into hatred; the revenge that you feel for your family must never waver. Your Auntie protected you with her life; you must not forget that, Aria."

She looked at me, her eyes trying to see something in my own, "Then, my eyes will look like yours…?"

I smirked, "Yes, Aria, when your eyes look like mine… you'll know true hatred."

* * *

_**Aria.**_

* * *

The door locked with a click, my free time was up.

"_Yes, Aria, when your eyes look like mine… you'll know true hatred."_

"Why must he be so self-righteous?"I grumbled. I grabbed the bag he dumped on the floor and sifted through it until I found what I was looking for.

"Soap!" I nearly cried as I clutched it to my chest along with a brush and walked to the bathroom. I ran the shower and let loose my hair, the red locks came down in tangles. "I can't wait to brush you." I mumbled to myself as I tried to pry apart a nasty looking knot. I gave up after two minutes and began to undress. My ribs flashed in the mirror and I sighed, not wanting to look at myself.

But I did anyway, like I did every night.

My face was still slightly hollow, and I rubbed at the purple stains underneath my eyes hoping they'd wipe away. I'd probably lost about fifteen pounds and every time I tried to think about why this came to be, my mind seemed to veer away from it. Madara-san told me not to worry about it too much, that it'll come back eventually. He was weird about it; he was vague but strangely… not. He was a confusing man.

I looked away from my pale reflection, and hugged myself. I slipped into the shower with my precious soap and lathered it all over. The calming scent of lavender and vanilla floated down the drain. After the last of the suds disappeared, I plopped myself in the corner of the shower and brought my knees up.

"_They've taken away everything that you held dear like it was nothing. Your conviction must be strong, Aria. The pain you feel you must turn it into hatred; the revenge that you feel for your family must never waver…"_

Sasuke-san's voice rang loudly in my ears over and over again.

"I must never waver, I must never waver, I must never waver…. I must never waver… I must never waver, I must never waver, I must never waver…" I kept saying, the hope that the words will bring me strength. I thought about my golden Sasuke and how much I missed him. How his eyes would calm me and he would always know the right thing to say. Oh, I needed him so much right now. Tears stung in my eyes and I willed them back, not letting myself be weak. After that I thought of nothing but the words that flowed out of my lips, becoming a mantra with each letter. I stayed there until the water ran cold and my fingers were stiff and pruning. I wrapped a decent towel around me and wrung out my hair. I grabbed my brush off the counter and readied myself for the tug-of-war I was about to have with my hair.

I opened the door and was greeted my black Sasuke, reclining in a chair like a cat. Always ready to pounce in a second. Something flashed in his eyes and I realized I stood there only in a towel.

Feeling suddenly exposed I brought my long hair over my shoulder and began untangling the ends and sat on my bed. My face turning beet red as he kept staring at me, his blurry gaze seem to roam up from my toes to my face.

_Pervert._

"What do you want, Sasuke-san?" My voice came out breathy and more high-pitched than I wanted to.

His eyes caught mine, "Just to say that we'll be training together in the morning and afternoon." His voice was rough and it sent a jolt through me as goose bumps peppered my skin.

"Oh, okay." I mumbled and felt slightly triumphant as I managed to get the brush to run through a quarter of my hair.

He looked like he wanted to say more but just kept staring at me, fire seemed to blaze my face and I swear I was going to pass out from the rush of oxygen to my brain.

"I-if that's it, I really wish you would go. I'm cold and wanna get dressed." I whined, and it was true. Icy water raced down my back making my goose bumps borderline painful.

He seemed to break away from a thought and stood up, "Be outside by nine tomorrow." He said not noticing how uncomfortable I was and left. My brush dropped from my trembling hand as the other clutched the fabric around my lower stomach, where another fire was brewing.

* * *

**I HAVE RETURNED!~ Haha, sorry about the unexpected hiatus, things went blah and shit hit the fan. But I'm back and everything is all better and I feel evil for ending it like this but Sasuke is a prude shoooooo... I hope you liked this chapter!**

**Reviews/comments are amazing!**

**Thank you for reading!**


	16. Miserere

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's characters!**

* * *

**Track 13: Miserere. - Have mercy (First word in the psalms 50, 54 & 55)**

* * *

The air was bitter cold even though the sun hung in a cloudless sky, and the icy wind wasn't doing anything to make it better. I leaned against a tree circling a medium sized clearing, just large enough for two people to spar. I came an hour early than the expected meeting time and slightly regretted it, my fingers were stiff and numb from cold. I flexed them for the tenth time and felt her coming.

She wasn't in a rush, and she was slightly hesitant and I wondered why. I could feel that she was a few feet from the clearing, but I couldn't see that far. I closed my eyes and waited for her to come instead. A few moments later I heard a thump on the ground in front of me; I opened my eyes and saw that she was a sneaky girl.

I jumped up the tree and into the forest as the tag attached to the kunai exploded. Out of the smoke came a flying Aria, our swords met with a clang and a spray of sparks. With her face so close to mine I could see that her eyes were full of fire and anger, and her mouth was twisted in a scowl. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she leaned heavier against her blade, pushing me off the branch. My sword slid against hers as I jumped to another branch, she winced at the ear-splitting grinding noise it created. I leaned against the thick trunk and put my katana away, knowing she wasn't going to attack further.

"My Auntie told me that most enemies won't approach you to fight, but attack you when you least expect it." Aria lectured and inspected the sharp side of the blade, looking a little irritated.

I didn't say anything as she sheathed her katana and crossed her arms, an amused smile danced on her lips, "So, what're we practicing today?" she purred.

I pushed myself off the trunk and appeared by her side, she didn't even flinch, "How's your shadow clone jutsu?"

"Decent."

"Good." I replied and landed on the ground with a soft thud, Aria did the same. _She's acting a bit strange... _She was probably still pissed off at me for not letting her fight Naruto. We stopped in the middle of the clearing; I faced her and held out a bandanna.

"What's that for?" She asked looking a little uncomfortable.

I smirked, "I'm going to be testing you on your hearing."

"I can hear fine." She whined.

I inwardly sighed. _She's going to be difficult. _

"Well, if it makes you happier, I'm going to blind myself with this bandanna to demonstrate. After I do, you're going to create two shadow clones and see if you can get past my guard and pin me to the ground. Either that or I pin you down. We're going to be using our sheaths as weapons to avoid accidently killing each other." I tied the bandanna around my already blurry sight, closing my eyes as the cloth covered them.

"Just tell me when you're ready."

"Hold on."

"What?" I tensed as her fingertips brushed my eyebrow and lightly skimmed over my eye, she made an approving sound.

Her touch disappeared, "Just making sure you're not cheating."

"I'm not a liar." I instantly regretted those words.

A soft chuckle vibrated in her chest, "I never said that."

"Hn."

"Well, I'm ready." I heard two poofs of shadow clones and braced myself. My right ear pricked with the sound of soft thumps on dirt and I blocked a kunai with my sheath. I lashed out at my attacker with a punch and felt cheek bone, I angled my sheath and swung out at it. It rammed right into the arm and I heard a 'ping' sound. I felt hands on my shoulder trying to pull me down and a leg swiped underneath me. I angled my sheath up so it butted into my attacker's stomach; I was awarded with another 'ping'.

The air was knocked out of me as I hit the ground; strong hands struggled to keep me there as legs straddled my waist. My arm wrapped around Aria's stomach and she was rammed to the ground next to me. A small gasp escaped her lips while I pinned her knees underneath my shin, my hands gripped her upper arm. She writhed but my shins pushed down on her kneecaps, causing her to gasp in pain. After a few minutes, she stopped.

"Uncle?"

"Uncle…" She said reluctantly.

I stood up and started untying the bandanna when I heard her knees crack as she bent them.

"Ouch." She whispered.

I looked at her through squinted eyes, "Sorry."

She looked at me like I had two heads.

"…What?" I was sincere about my apology.

Her eyes glittered when she smiled, "You've never apologized to me before. But don't worry, my knees are fine."

_Twenty minutes ago, this girl looked like she was about to rip someone's head off… and now she's smiling like an innocent angel… _I sighed and shrugged, "Put this on." I handed her the bandanna.

She started tying it around her eyes. I noticed she swayed a bit, her equilibrium off from her being unused to be able to see. The light in my eyes are fading… I've been getting used to it.I walked over to her and touched her eyes, "Just making sure you're not cheating."

She grinned as I stepped away, "I'm not a liar."

I smirked, "I'm ready when you are."

She widened her stance, "Shoot."

Two of myself poofed on either side of me, I pointed my right me to go left and the left me to right. Their footsteps were light but I saw that Aria's head shifted to the right, her katana sheath held tightly in her hand. They both went to grab her arms but she was quick and dropped down and kicks one in the leg. It winces but lashes out and punched her in the ribs; Aria quickly recovered and stabbed it with her sheath.

It 'pings'.

The remaining one got the same treatment. Aria seemed pleased with that battle won, but I was going to win this war. She flinched when she felt that I was in front of her and raised her katana in defense but I knocked it out of her hands and she stepped back as I stepped forward. My fist almost connected to her face but her hand grabbed my wrist and twisted. Pain shot up my arm but I ignored it and pulled her towards me. A surprised gasp escaped her lips as she fell to the ground face first, her hold loosening. I took that opportunity and twisted her arm behind her; a cry of pain came from her as she struggled under my weight.

"Say it." I said softly.

"Uncle." She growled.

I released my hold on her and stood up and Aria sat up and rubbed her arm. It was only an hour into this and she was already looking exhausted. But I wasn't going to relent, Madara said she'd be useful but yet… there wasn't anything.

I'll need to talk to him about this later.

She untied the bandanna and blinked rapidly at the sudden brightness. I examined her while she rubbed her eyes, her arms looked skinny and her elbow and shoulders jutted out. Her face looked thinner and more hollow than I remembered when I met her at the lake.

_Why didn't I notice before?_

She looked at me, "What?"

"Have you been eating okay?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

She blushed, "Juugo has been bringing me food…"

"Have you been eating it?"

"… A little."

I sighed, "If you don't eat then you become weak. If you're weak then you're useless to us and to yourself."

A hurt expression flashed across her face and she looked down, "I'm sorry…"

"Hn. Training is done for today. I don't want you passing out and I have to carry you back, and go eat something too." I grabbed my katana and sheathed it. Strapping it to my waist I turned to walk back, my skin felt frozen from the cold. I heard her get up and collect her katana, her footsteps following behind me.

"Sasuke-san..?"

"What?" I turned to look at her; she held her sheathed sword to her chest and was looking down.

"May I please stay out here a little longer?"

"Why?"

She hesitated, "I… I just need fresh air. I feel… cramped staying in my room all day." She looked at me, "Please, a little while longer."

"If I let you, will you run away?" I glared.

She flinched, "Where else could I go..?"

I thought for a few moments but gave in, "You have an hour, no more no less and you will not go any farther than this clearing… And if you don't come back when you're supposed to you'll never have this opportunity again because I will find you." I turned and started walking into the trees.

"Thank you, Sasuke-san!" She breathed happily.

I felt itchy about leaving her out here by herself, it's not that I knew she won't run away but the fact that Naruto and Sakura were near with that other guy. They'd most likely try to take her back with them to Konoha. My eyebrows scrunched together as I heard Aria start to sing and leaned against a tree. It's been a long time since I've heard her voice, about two months. I wondered if that was the reason she wanted to stay out here in this icy cold. My mind told me to keep walking back to base where I'd talk to Madara but my feet stayed firmly in place. My heart sped up a bit when I wondered if it was another one of Aria's jutsus… _No, she wouldn't do that. _I thought and my heart relaxed as I lifted one foot just in case. I kept leaning against the tree, her voice drifted in the wind like leaves.

_"Moon, moon... a lullabye as I fall into the darkness... I know... I am nothing as your tides rock me to sleep..." _

When her voice disappeared I began walking back to base.

Walking through the hallways of base thawed my skin, but my mind was on other things as I found Madara in the meeting room, his masked face looking up at me when I entered.

"Need something?" His voice purred.

I plopped down on a chair and stretched my legs, "Yeah. Why do we need Aria again?" I crossed my arms.

"I told you, she's useful to you." He said without skipping a beat.

I thought for a moment, "No, she isn't. She's weak because of her depression, and she's barely eating. I don't need anybody like that to help me with my plans... It seems that she's more useful to you."

Madara put his hands under his chin, contemplating something, "And why would you think that?"

"When we had that little run in with Naruto, he looked like he'd seen a ghost. Shaken almost, and he barely said a word and let Sakura do all the talking. That's not like him."

Madara sighed, "Well, if you must know-"

"Naruto is my cousin." A voice said. I looked and saw that Aria was standing in the doorway, her cheeks red from cold. My eyes had widened at her proclamation. When I didn't say anything she continued, "I'm only new to this information too. The night that my Auntie died she told me that I had a cousin by the name of Uzumaki Naruto, her sister Kushina's son. She told me that when she passed to go to him so he would know that he had family and that he wouldn't feel so alone... But I wondered if it was more for me." She placed a hand on her arm and smiled sadly.

Madara stood up and walked over to Aria, and I didn't like the way he put his hand on her shoulder, "Do you still want to see your cousin?" He asked.

Aria shifted uncomfortably under his touch, "No... I've already seen him when I was with Sasuke. I know what he's into and I don't want any part in it." She replied confidantly.

She looked at me again, "Is that all you wanted to know?"

I stood up, "Yes, that's all for now." I murmured and walked past her and down the empty hall. I knocked on a door and Juugo opened it.

"Yeah?"

"Make sure Aria eats all of her food from now on." I said and walked away.

"Okay." I heard him reply and a click of his door closing.

A few doors down I entered my room and locked my door. _I can't believe she's related to Naruto... _But now that I think about it, the first time I met her she reminded me a lot like him. I sighed at the thought and laid down in my bed.

_Who would've known that my worst enemy's cousin was the only person I cared for._

* * *

**Hey, so I decided to update again because I love my readers! So what do you think is going to happen now that Sasuke knows Aria is Naruto's cousin? Oh the suspense! Haha, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere and the next chapter is going to be up on the 15th! I didn't really choose a musical definition this time for the track's title because I instantly fell in love with it when I saw what it meant. It really goes along with this chapter... But the word is in the psalms so it's okay... right? Haha.**_  
_

**Reviews are lovely and questions are more than welcomed!**

**xx**


	17. Fugue

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 14: Fugue - ****Contrapuntal composition.**

* * *

I was smart this morning, I went only fifteen minutes before the planned time and I didn't suffer as much. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds that threatened snow or rain, maybe a mixture of both. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees when the sun's rays were swallowed whole, the landscape turning gray.

This morning all I could think about was the fact that Aria is Naruto's cousin. _They looked nothing alike__ for one…__ except the personality, but then again anyone could be just as obnoxious as him._ The cold was about to seep through my cloak when Aria appeared, her face pale with cold. I jumped down from my perch and waited for her to approach me.

"Did you eat?" I put my hand against my hip in habit and looked down at her, noticing that they had the same facial structure.

"I did." She replied, tucking a red bang behind her ear.

"Everything?"

"Yup." She gave me a lopsided smile, another similarity, "Juugo-kun made me..."

She seemed better than yesterday, "Good."

_The similarities that they share must mean that their close cousins._ An awkward silence settled in the air between us and Aria shuffled her feet, "What?" She noticed that I was staring at her.

"Is it really true?" Hardening my gaze.

"About what?"

"That Naruto is your cousin?" I said without missing a beat.

Her eyes went wide as she flushed, she looked at the ground, "Yes, well… from what Auntie told me. She's the sister of Naruto's mother, Kushina. I've never met her before… I guess."

I raised an eyebrow, "So that means that your parents are related to Naruto's mother?"

"Yes, my mother was also Kushina's sister, but she died when I was three so I don't really remember her." A weird look came across her face.

"What happened to her?"

"My family was attacked my ninjas who sought power. Both of my parents were killed, and my eye was damaged to the point of uselessness." She touched her upper right cheek, her fingers trailing down a faint scar and gave a ghost of a smile, "That's why I have two different colored eyes. Sometimes, I wake up screaming in pain and go to touch a healed eye. I still have that dream, but I know it isn't real now so I brave through it." Her hand fell to her side.

"What was it that damaged your eye?" Small snowflakes began descending from the sky, melting into the frozen ground.

"The ninja were fended off, but my home was up in a blaze… My Auntie got me out of there and went to go search for my parents. But I was afraid that the other ninjas were going to come back so I followed after her, not knowing that fire is bad. By the time I realized that, I was too far into the house. But I found my Auntie leaning over my mother… It's hazy but I knew that she was dying, blood was everywhere…" Her eyebrows scrunched together as she tried to remember, "I remember someone screaming my name and then… nothing. Then my Auntie taking me away from the house… And pain… a lot of it. When I was nine, my Auntie told me everything… and to answer your question was because debris fell on me and a piece of wood split it open." She breathed, her eyes hidden from me.

Guilt threatened to collapse on me, "Do you miss your Aunt?"

Her head whipped up, tears streaming down her face, "Everyday! She told me to run away, but I didn't listen to her! If I did, then maybe she could've followed after me! She would still be here if it wasn't for me trying to be something I'm not." She sobbed, "If I just could've been… stronger…" She hiccupped through her hands. Tears leaked and dripped from in between her fingers, freezing to the ground.

Before I knew what I was doing, I pulled her into an embrace; her head resting perfectly in the crook of my neck, "Aria, cry now and no more later. Like I said before, turn this pain your feeling into the strength it'll take to defeat your enemies. This is the last time I want to see you cry, got it?" I whispered into her hair, looking at the snow-dusted field.

She nodded her head and clutched my shirt tighter. I felt more tears spread into the fabric and her body shake, digging herself further into my chest, further into my heart.

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

It was surprising; the first time I met him he looked a cold, marble statue. But every time I was near him, he radiated heat like a furnace. Who would've thought?

I didn't want to leave the warmth that was Sasuke-san. But I pushed away, the last of my tears shed as the cold greeted me. I brushed them away and wrapped my arms around myself, hoping to keep some of the stolen heat when I looked at him with my puffy eyes. His face was impassive as usual, but there was something else… a strain in his abyssal eyes and a faint clench in his jaw. He blinked and the look was gone, replaced by a frown and hard, black mirrors that were his eyes.

I backed away a few feet, unused to being this close to him. He didn't say a word as I looked up at the sky, snowflakes gently being tossed around by the wind and sighed. I closed my eyes from the gray.

_I will not cry anymore. I will use everything I feel and change it to hatred, and I will no longer feel anything but. I'm not that little girl cowering in the corner while her parents protect me, or will I be that me a few months ago who once again cowering in the corner while her Auntie protected her. Their deaths will not go unpunished, I will destroy Konoha! I will follow in this path that this man has helped me carve!_

"Until my eyes looked like yours…" I whispered.

_I will become strong!_

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

The second she looked at me, I knew that the old Aria was gone. The warmth in her eyes was gone when she looked at me, the sparkle dulled. Her presence took on a more sinister and unapproachable feel, nothing like the warm and comforting Aria from before. She hardened herself for the path that she has chosen.

"Are we going to train?" Her voice was hollow and low.

"No, you don't need it anymore." And pushed pass her, heading back to base.

"Sasuke-san, because I'm like this now does not mean I'm not loyal to you. You saved my life after all, and made me a stronger person. I owe you two favors now." Her voice droned behind me, "Anything you need, I'll give you."

"I'll remember that, Aria."

* * *

I walked down the hall, pushing my fingers through my hair to brush out the snowflakes. Goosebumps pricked on my skin as an icy droplet raced down my neck.

_I need a haircut…_

I thought as the black strands dropped back down into place. I took off my cloak and set it on my chair to dry, leaning my hand on the desk and the other on my forehead, remembering the cold look in Aria's eyes.

_She has turned into something I didn't want her to, into another me. I could feel it, radiating off of her. The hate she has now…_

I stood up straight and walked out of my room, my intention to seek out Madara. I turned the corner and saw that Suigetsu was leaning against a wall, a smirk on his face. He turned to look at me, a sheen in his purple eyes, "So, what happened to Aria-chan?"

"What do you mean?"

"She seems…" He licked his thin lips, "A bit more vicious."

I realized that there was a red handprint on his cheek, I raised my eyebrow, "How did you get that."

He gave me a guilty smile and, "I… um, when she was stuck in her room for a while she used to sing sometimes. I caught her one day and started calling her songbird. Guess she didn't like that…"

I crossed my arms and continued walking down the hall, "Her deceased boyfriend used to call her that." I turned the corner without waiting for an answer. He skipped after me, "But she never attacked me like that before… What did you do to our sweet, little songbird?" he cooed.

I glared but said nothing else as I opened the door to the common room and saw that Madara was conversing with Zetsu, the room silencing when I came in.

"Sasuke, how is training with our little Aria?" he asked plainly, sitting on the edge of the table. Zetsu crept back into the floor and disappeared. Suigetsu looked at it disapprovingly.

I looked back at him, "She doesn't need it anymore. She's proven that she's capable." I said quickly and plopped into a chair, stretching my legs and resting my fist on my chin.

"That's good. Does she know what the meaning of hatred is?" He crossed his arms.

I smirked, "Definitely. Took a while though, but Suigetsu got the first of it, right?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

He crossed his arms, "Got me right in the face, guess she didn't like being called names." He sniggered, "But yes, she seems a tad off. Like our good, ol' Sasuke." He tapped his head.

I glared at him, but moved my attention back to the main concern, "From what I know, my part in this is done… Unless there is something else that you've thought of." It was a statement, not a question.

"She's a key point in our plan… I believe Naruto would do anything for a long, lost dear cousin. Don't you think so, Sasuke?" He stood up straight, "She'll be the bait to get Naruto for me, and then I'll have what I want. You two can do whatever you want after that."

_All this trouble to lure Naruto to do his__ bidding. _

He continued, "Also, in a week I want you to go burn some messengers. The war is starting and the nations are teaming up, if we even get a few we could slow them down to give us some more time."

I stood to leave, "Is that it?"

He sat down in his chair, "You'll be bringing Aria along, of course. She'll be able to help you _immensely._"

I left the room, wondering what thing Aria could 'immensely' be capable to do to help me.

* * *

**Ta-da! See? I didn't lie. Haha. So Aria has now turned into a bad bitch and Sasuke isn't too happy about it... even though he's the one who told her to. He really is a confusing person~ So every time I had to type down Suigetsu's dialogue I had to fight the urge to write 'eh'. He comes off being Canadian... or is it just me? **

**Also I feel like Sasuke likes to listen to rap... or is just me once again?**

**Next chappie should come out on the 20th, can't really promise anything because I've only just started it and I'm going to Warped the day before and that's when I usually finish chapters... Maybe a day early? ;D**

**xx**


	18. Da Capo

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 15: Da capo - From the beginning.**

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I walked back to my room, my head swirling with all this new information.

_Does Madara know something that I don't? _My eyebrows scrunched together at the thought. I made a decision to approach Aria about it; I needed to tell her that she was coming with me on this new mission.

I walked down to her doorway, knocking quickly and walking in. Aria was pulling a white tank-top over her head; I noticed that she had a black, swirl tattoo under shoulder blade.

The Uzumaki clan sigil.

Suigetsu whistled behind me and received a glare from Aria. He tensed and took a few steps behind me, whispering something that Aria was a scary lady.

I ignored him, "We're leaving for a mission in a week, and we'll be gone for a while so pack what you need and nothing else."

"Jeez, can you guys wait until I say it's okay to come in?" She buttoned her cargo pants and fixed a bra strap.

Suigetsu put his elbow on my shoulder, "There isn't anything that Sasuke here hasn't seen."

She snorted while putting her hair up in a floppy bun, "I can only imagine, and please tell me that Shark boy here isn't coming with us?"

"Unfortunately, he follows me wherever I go. No choice in the matter." I sighed.

"_Aw_, what a good little puppy." She cooed and waggled her fingers at Suigetsu who scowled, "Do you fetch too?"

"I'll give you something to-!" Suigetsu started after her.

"Enough you two!"

Suigetsu stopped mid-march, glaring daggers at Aria, "I remember when she was such a good girl." he mumbled.

Aria ignored me and pulled on a cardigan, "Whatever. What is this mission for, Sasuke-san?"

"A war is finally starting between the Great Nations and us."

She frowned, "Only us? I'm sure we'll be defeated with only us."

"Madara has some plan, we'll be doing our own thing. As for the mission, we'll be taking down a few messengers going in between nations. It'll give us more time."

She seemed to mull this over, "Sounds good." she finally said.

A silence settled over us.

Suigetsu stretched and yawned, "Well, this has been an awesome conversation. I think I'm going to go take a nap. Bye, songbird." he teased and left.

Aria made a move to go after him, but I stopped her, "Ignore him, Aria. There's something else I'd like to talk with you about."

"Oooh, I'mma kill him." She glared in the direction he left.

"It would be greatly appreciated if you didn't." I said plainly.

She growled and plopped herself on her bed, "What else do you need?" she asked, crossing her legs and fiddled with a loose strand of hair.

"When you got sick after I brought you here, you used to talk about a man who was a blacksmith. This man was also named Sasuke, you told me that you loved him very much."

She tensed, "I did..?" Her eyes narrowed, trying to remember, "I don't..."

"Like I said, you were sick," I cut her off, "That's why you don't like it when people call you songbird." She flinched at the nickname.

"What about it?" She whispered.

I reached inside my pocket, "I went back to your village, and looked for the blacksmith shop. I was hoping to find something... to help you not forget. I found this and looked inside, and I knew it was for you." From my pocket emerged a black box with a white ribbon.

Aria's eyes widened when I handed it to her. With trembling hands she took it and undid the ribbon, the box opening like a clam and she gasped.

A small, silver locket with a carving of a bird on it lay inside. She picked it up gingerly and smoothed it over with her thumb, the box falling to the ground. She fingered it over and on the back was a carving of a music note. Aria flipped it back over and opened it tenderly as her hand clamped over her mouth, eyes glossing over.

On one side there is a picture of Aria kissing Golden Boy's cheek while he gave the thumbs up, grinning like a goof. On the other side read:

_For my Aria,_

_my melody,_

_my little songbird;_

"You ask me not to cry and yet... you give me shit like this." I turned my back to her as the tears started running down her face.

"I told you I didn't want to see you cry anymore. Don't forget where you came from Aria... and the people you've lost." I replied and started walking away.

"Thank you, Sasuke-san. For everything."

The hole they called guilt was forever growing wider and wider.

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I felt so dumb, so weak after crying like that in front of Sasuke-san. Even if he did say it was okay as long as he wasn't there, I'd still feel like a fool.

I sighed and willed the tears away. The last one fell on my thumb and I wiped it on my shirt, the chain of the necklace clinking together as I did. I looked at the picture once more and remembered when it was taken, during the village's annual festival. We had been 'dating' a few months and madly in love. I closed it and rubbed a thumb over the hand-carved bird.

_I still can't believe he's gone._

My heart told me that it couldn't be true while my head thought the opposite. Pushing it all away I hooked the chain around my neck, the locket sitting on my lower chest. I looked over to my katana, another gift from Sasuke for my birthday last year. I plopped backwards on my bed, breathing out heavily and let myself be taken by sleep.

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I rounded the corner and saw Suigetsu leaning against the wall, one hand behind his head and the other chewing on the straw to his cup, "Give it to her?" He opened one eye.

"I thought you said you were going to take a nap."

Suigetsu gave me a lopsided grin, "Needed an excuse so you can give her that little present, finally. How long did you have that? Also to get away from her, the little bit-"

"Suigetsu." I warned.

He scowled, "Well, how did she take it?"

I kept walking, "How do you think? She just received a gift from a deceased boyfriend."

He clucked his tongue, "Jeez, someone sounds cranky. Maybe you're the one who needs a nap..."

I scowled and walked into my room, leaving Suigetsu when I closed the door and locked it.

"No need for a drama queen." Suigetsu said exasperatedly. I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway as I stood there, thinking about the day I found her necklace.

* * *

"_How much farther?" Suigetsu whined once again._

"_When we get there." I countered, slightly irritated. This was the third time he had complained, "Maybe you should have stayed back."_

"_Like hell," He put his hands behind his head, "It's boring."_

_I didn't say anything as we touched dry land, the smell of lake water disappearing as we made our way up the path. The sun was setting, casting long shadows among the trees. _

"_And why is it so cold?" Suigetsu was getting on my last nerve._

_I stepped out into open sunlight and squinted my eyes. My eyes shifted from side to side, feeling for anything that wasn't supposed to be here. I was still cautious about Naruto and the rest of them being here, it was a few hours since Aria and I had been confronted by them. But I didn't feel anything as I walked closer to the village, my eyes shifting side to side to check for unusual movement. _

"_So… What're we looking for?" Suigetsu asked._

"_A blacksmith's shop." I replied._

"_Oh, what do we need there? Your katana chipping?" Suigetsu looked around as we entered the village. It was desolate with the distant sounds of birds and wind. "Seems like there's no one around, Sasuke. I doubt there would be a blacksmith here, so let's head back." He settled himself near a tree, "After I take a rest."_

_I narrowed my eyes at him, "I'm going ahead, why don't you stay put?"_

_He grinned and closed his purple eyes, "Fine with me."_

_I frowned and walked away, determined to find the blacksmith's shop. I walked a half an hour before coming to an abrupt stop, a man stood in front of the path that lead up to Aria's home. His honey-colored gaze looking longingly up the path before he dropped it to the step just above his feet._

_I thought I killed him._

"_Hey, you." I called out to him._

_He flinched and jerked his blond head up, "Me?"_

_I walked forward, "I believe there's no one else here."_

_He gave a small smile and looked to the side, "Yeah, I guess."_

He doesn't seem to remember me.

_I stopped a few feet before him, "Do you know if the blacksmith is alive? My blade is cracked." I said plainly._

"_Actually, you're in luck. I'm the blacksmith… it's been awhile since I fixed a blade." He put out his hand to shake, "But I'm pretty sure I can fix a crack. My name is Sasuke, yours?" _

_I took it, "Kosuke."_

_He smiled, "Nice to meet yah, Kosuke-san. If you would so gladly follow me, I'll be able to fix your sword."_

_There were a few minutes of silence as I followed…Sasuke down a cramped street. He looked around in horror at the burnt houses and old blood stains. I realized that he hasn't been here since the attack, and at the same time I wondered where he went, and who the person who healed him was._

_We walked down another narrow street, into a courtyard and took a left. On the end of the street stood a house with an open garage on the side, I could only expect it to be his workshop._

"_Were you here when this happened?" I asked him carefully._

"_I was. Luckily, I survived whatever happened. I don't really remember." He sighed, "Can I ask you a question?" He looked at me, his gold eyes swimming._

_I nodded._

_He hesitated, "Have you seen… a girl with red hair and two different colored eyes?"_

_I shook my head, "No, I haven't… why?"_

_He stopped, looking crushed, "I survived the few days after the massacre, almost until the Leaf nin came. They were alerted because people from neighboring villages saw smoke and smelled… a bad odor." He sighed as he pulled a rope and the garage opened, "They found me just in time, a little longer and I would be dead." He clutched his side at the memory._

"_They brought me back to the Hidden Leaf where I was treated for my wounds. During my stay, I asked them if they found a girl with red hair and they said they didn't… It just gave me hope… that she was still alive…" His face was dark, "But I'll take your sword now."_

_I unsheathed it, the handle facing him. He inspected it, flipping it over with eyebrows scrunched in concentration. "I can do it, but it may take a few hours." He said finally, smiling._

"_Good." I said and sat on a stool near the doorway, looking at him work. Clanging away at the heated metal, brow sweating as he thrust it in cold water. He kept working like that until he was finally satisfied with the results, polishing the metal to a mirror finish. Between all of that, Suigetsu managed to find me._

"_Well, well. I'm impressed, didn't know you could find one."_

_I didn't reply._

_Golden Boy handed back to me, eyeing Suigetsu. "It looks good." I said and looked up, "Do you want anything for it?"_

_He hesitated, he seems to do that a lot, "Yeah, can you hold on one sec, Kosuke-san?"_

_I nodded and he sprinted through a doorway that most likely went into his house._

"_Kosuke? Heh, close enough." Suigetsu leaned against the openings frame. _

_Golden Boy came running through the doorway a few minutes later, out of breath he held out a box to me, "If you… ever find the girl I was talking about… Please give this to her."_

_I took the box and opened it, inside laid a locket with a carving of a bird on it, "Why would you trust this to me?" I asked, not wanting to take it._

_He smiled, "I'm in no condition to go out travelling the world, to search for her. I could barely get away from that nurse… Haha. It seems you go out more than I will for a while, that blade…" He trailed off, "There's a picture of her in it for reference, if you find her give it to her and tell her that I'm still alive."_

_I closed the box shut, "Yeah, I will."_

"_Thank you." He smiled as we walked away, spiriting away into the trees._

* * *

It took me a few days, but seeing her become something she wasn't kinda hit a tender spot. But I know it was going to get worse since the next mission was going to involve killing.

I sighed and sat crossed-legged on my bed, my hands made into a circle on the diamond-shaped fabric my legs made. I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth as I closed my eyes, to meditate for the moment.

* * *

**I updated! Woot! Haha. Hoped you liked this chapter, shit kinda went down and all. Haha. I decided to put Gold Sasuke back in the picture cause I couldn't just get rid of him like that. But that's the rest for his role in this story... Did I just say _this _story? Hohoho~ And sorry this was updated late in the day, I had to type the rest of it out and there was a huge thunderstorm, like malicious lions ripping apart the sky thunderstorm... But it's okay now~ **

**So reviews are adored and questions are welcomed in my inbox!**

**xx**


	19. Interlude: Golden Boy

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its charcters!**

* * *

**Interlude: Golden Boy.**

* * *

She left.

The man watched her as she walked down the street, her bright red braid swinging back and forth until she was out of sight. He sighed and closed the door, his heart in tangles.

_She'll be okay._

He smiled to himself and walked up the dark hallway, entering a small kitchen as the fluorescent light flickered on. He hummed randomly and rummaged through cabinets, and looked in the fridge for food. He finally settled on iced tea and a bento the red-haired girl made for him since the last time he tried to cook, he nearly burned the kitchen down. He plopped down in his living room and turned on the TV, but his attention was elsewhere as the newscaster droned on.

Thinking about their conversation earlier, the man thought what it would be like not being able to see the girl for a few months.

_Auntie Kana doesn't have a whole lot of time left. _He thought, sticking a noodle in his mouth. _I'd give her a few months or__ so._

He thought about how the girl would be so crushed and heartbroken when her Auntie dies.

He remembered when his Grandfather died, the girl stayed with him. She was there every inch of the way and that he'll do the same for her. The man ran a hand through his blond, coarse hair and yawned, just wanting to just drop dead into a bed… but he had something more important to do.

Leaving the dish, he padded to his study and picked up a shiny locket on his work table, the silver soft enough to engrave. He put the locket on a piece of wood, fitting perfectly into an oval-shaped depression to keep it in place. A drawing of a bird was taped to the table, the one the man wanted to carve into the locket. He sat down on the wooden chair, pulling the piece of wood closer and leaned over the table. He picked up a sharp, pointed blade and using the drawing of the bird, carved meticulously into the silver. The head of the bird started forming on the locket, then the rest of the body. It was a simple picture, but he was pleased. He flipped the locket over carefully and began carving a single music note. Once finished, he blew metal shavings off the locket as he inspected his craftsmanship. He lightly sanded over rough spots and polished the metal to a mirror finish. Satisfied with the results, he leaned back in the chair and yawned, his hazel eyes burning and sore from straining. Sitting back up, he opened a drawer and took out a picture of him and the red-haired girl. Smiling to himself he cut the picture into an oval and fit it inside the locket, putting a piece of glass over it to keep it from falling out. The other night he had put an inscription on the other side of the picture, reading:

_For my Aria,_

_my melody,_

_my little songbird;_

The man smiled and yawned again, the bout bringing a sting of tears to his eyes. He put the locket back in place and stood up, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion. He made his way down the hall to his bedroom, and flopped on his bed; being pulled into sleep before he could even close his eyes.

* * *

The man woke up to screams and the acrid smell of smoke, and jerked awake as he saw yellow-orange shadows dancing on the walls. He jumped up and scurried to the window, his tawny eyes widening in disbelief:

Everything was burning.

The trees, the houses… the people.

Everything…

Pounding on the front door ripped him from his trance, "SASUKE! Get yur ass up and help douse these flames out!" His neighbor Kaito bellowed.

"I'm coming!" The man shouted back and ran out of his room, sprinting down the hallway. Without missing a beat, he shoved his feet in his shoes and was about to leave when a silhouette stood in the doorway. The man stopped short and looked into its black orbs that gleamed in the orange low-light. His eyes slid behind the creature and saw his neighbor lying in an unnatural position on the ground; his eyes blank and unseeing, filming over with death. The man's hazel eyes flickered back to the shadow that slowly made its way over to him. The clacking of sandals against wood seemed to taunt him as he scrambled backwards, desperate to get away; he was no shinobi. The shadow's abyssal eyes gleamed brighter as it smiled wickedly, amused by the man's weakness.

The thing walked ever closer as it raised its bloody katana to strike, and it came down so quickly that the man didn't even had the time to scream as the blood splattered everywhere. The man clutched his sliced chest as white, hot pain blinded him and collapsed to the floor. The shadow looked down at him with narrowed eyes as he slipped into darkness, into oblivion.

* * *

_Hey, I found one! The voice said._

_The man knew he was dead… but why was he hearing these voices?_

_Was it angels calling him? Was it his parents and Grandfather telling him that it was okay to let go, to come to t__hem?_

_He saw green eyes floating in his dreams, full of concern. Their voice telling him that he'll be okay, that he'll live._

_He thought that was silly, he was already dead. He chuckled in his mind at those silly __green __eyes, so very silly._

_And then he was being __lifted, a floating feeling filling his chest with clouds. Be careful, green eyes said, he's still badly injured. Then there was blue eyes telling green eyes that they got him, that they'll be careful. Then he was flying, feeling the wind against his face a__s he flew faster and faster._

_Heaven bound._

* * *

_Beep, beep, beep._

It was his alarm clock, telling him that it's time to go to work.

_Beep, beep, beep._

But it always shuts off eventually; he was always late for work.

_Beep, beep, beep._

Any day now.

_Beep, beep, beep._

The repetitive noise was starting to get on the man's nerve.

_Beep, beep, beep._

Desperate to shut it off he cracked his eyes open, the world swirling and stretching with colors and light as he moved his stiff head. After a few minutes the world began to seep back into place as his mind cleared, the grogginess lingered though.

He flicked his eyes around, realizing that he wasn't in his bed, but in a sanitary hospital room. He looked to the left and saw that the annoying noise was a heart monitor and glared at it. He shifted his head to the right and there was an open window, the gauzy white drapes lazily billowing with the breeze. As it did, he was rewarded with an outside view of buildings and telephone wires. The moon hung in the sky as he saw human shaped forms skittering across the roofs. Moving so fast that they had to be…

_Ninja… I must be in Konoha. _The man thought and looked back up to the ceiling, a wave of exhaustion overtaking him. He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

When he awoke again, he was greeted with early morning sunshine. The man opened his eyes fully to take everything in: the fact that he wasn't dead and the fact that he was in the Hidden Leaf Village. He looked down at the rest of himself and saw that there was a tube sticking out of his left hand, taped down so it didn't move around. With that hand, he tried lifting himself up. A ripple of pain exploded through his chest and he gasped. The door opened as he clenched his bandaged chest.

"Oi! Don't be pushing yourself unless you want those stitches to rip open." The stern voice reprimanded.

Clacking of heels against tile pulsed painfully against his ears. A strong finger pushed him back down, and he cracked his eye open and then the other as his back touched the hot sheets. A large chested woman stood over him; her hay blond hair fell over her shoulders in pigtails. She had tawny eyes that were sharp and intimidating, and a mouth that was turned into a frown. But her face was soft and there was an aura of dependability and trustworthiness that radiated from her.

The blond woman grabbed a pair of scissors and started cutting the bandages that covered his entire torso. She pulled the bandages out from underneath him and into a trash bin. He cried out in pain when she started removing gauze that was sticking to his wound. They revealed an angry red, swollen gash that was held together with stitches. It started at his right collar bone and ended down at his left hip. The wound burned and pulsed, and he began to sweat from the pain.

"Hang in there," The woman said softly as she spread an ointment over the wound. The man bit his lip to keep from crying out again, and a copper taste filled his mouth. She wiped her hands on a towel and unwrapped the new gauze. She gingerly put them on and they stuck onto the ointment.

"Sakura!" She snapped, "Help me put the bandages on."

"Yes." Another woman with pink hair and familiar, light-green eyes materialized from behind the woman. She smiled at the man, "I'm going to have to ask you to sit up." Her voice was girly, but hushed like she was talking to a child.

The man nodded, unable to speak for the fact that his mouth felt like sandpaper and sat up as much as he could go, he winced and felt hands work their way around him, helping him to sit up farther.

"Gwah!" He cried out as another ripple of pain roared through him. Quick hands started wrapping the bandages around his shoulder and then made their way down his torso until they were secured with tape. Before he could even register that it he was finished, he was gently laid down again, the pain slightly ebbing away as his back hit the cold sheet.

"Here." The pink-haired woman said as she stuck a needle into the man's IV, "This should help for a little bit."

His hazel eyes looked at the IV machine, watching the liquid drip slowly as the world began growing darker, his head feeling lighter as the woman's face blurred and the pain was vanishing; he slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

He woke up again to early afternoon, feeling aggravated. He wanted to ask questions earlier, but they put him to sleep. The door opened again, and the pink-haired girl came in.

"I see you're awake." She smiled, holding a tray with a cup of pills.

"Hm." Was all the man could say eying the cup. He was never good at swallowing pills.

The girl set the tray on the bedside table, "I need to give you some antibiotics so your wound doesn't get infected, is that okay?"

He nodded, knowing that even if he said no, she would make him anyway.

She smiled again and helped him sit up, propping up his pillow to lean against. He was sweating at the effort. "Hold out your hand." she said.

The man held out his hand, and she dumped the pills carefully in his palm. The man popped them in his mouth, moving them so that they were sitting on the back of his tongue. She gave him a cup of water and he chugged it down, trying hard not to gag.

"Hah!" He gasped, feeling them travel down his esophagus. His mouth watering at the bitter taste they left behind.

"I have the same problem taking pills, never wants to go down." She collected the cups and threw them in a waste bin. She picked up the tray and held it to her chest, "How do you feel?" Her brows knitting with concern.

"Shitty." The man replied bluntly, his voice hoarse.

She chuckled, "Know the feeling, I'm Haruno Sakura." She held out a hand.

"Kajiya Sasuke." He took it and noticed Sakura stiffen a little, but her smile remained.

"It's amazing that you survived, Kajiya-san." Sakura was about to leave when the door swung open with a bang.

"Oi! Let go! I just wanna see how he's doing!" A blond kid appeared in the door, struggling with two nurses trying to hold him back.

"Naruto-kun! You need to let him rest!" One of them said, her grip slipping.

Naruto used the door frame to pull himself further, his eyes closed comically in strain, "Just for a few minutes!"

Sakura put her hand on her hip, "Geez, Naruto. Do you need to make such a ruckus? It's okay, let him in." She sighed, an aggravated mark appearing on her forehead.

The nurses relented and Naruto fell to the floor making Sakura put up a fist, "Stop it with the noise!"

Naruto stiffened, his eyes growing big with fear, "P-please, Sakura-chan-!" He was thwacked hard on the head, making Sasuke wince. A man with pale skin and short black hair walked through, his dark eyes wide, "Oh, Naruto. I think that's the biggest one yet."

"S-sakura-chan..." Naruto whined, rubbing the huge bump on his head. He perked up when he saw that Sasuke was awake. He stood up and quickly walked over, "Good to see that you're finally awake! You've been out for a week."

"I have?" Sasuke's brows furrowed.

"Mm-hm. You lost a lot of blood, Sakura-chan and I weren't sure if you were going to make it. But thankfully you did! I was scared for a moment there." The blond smiled and thumbed his chest, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and that guy over there is Sai."

Sai waved and gave a creepy smile.

Sasuke eyed Naruto's Leaf headband, "Kajiya Sasuke."

Naruto stiffened a little, "N-nice to meet you... Kajiya-san."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow to everyone's uneasiness to his name, "It's okay to just call me Sasuke."

_Everyone is so weird here. _He thought.

Sakura paled, and Sai kept a creepy smile on his face, impassive.

Naruto gave him a grin after a few minutes, "Okay, Sasuke!"

An awkward silence settled over the group. A chuckled began to form in Sasuke's chest and then a bout of laughter erupted from him. Blood started staining the bandages and Sakura gasped, the tray falling to the floor as she rushed over, "Sasuke-san, you shouldn't laugh so hard! Your stitches are opening!" She pushed a confused Naruto out of the way and Sasuke's laughter died down.

"Who would've known that ninja would be so weird?" He wiped tears from his eyes, ignorant to the pain. Sakura and Naruto looked at each other and then at Sai who just shrugged. Sakura continued to lay Sasuke down, careful not to tear his stitches any further. A pale green glow surrounded her hand and she pressed it gently to Sasuke's chest, staunching the blood.

He grabbed her hand, "Were you green eyes?"

Sakura got even more confused, "I don't understand..."

"I remember voices, telling me it's okay, and then a pair of green eyes. Was that you?" Sasuke breathed, his face pale from blood loss.

"If you're talking about me finding you, then yes."

Sasuke gripped tighter, "Please tell me... did-"

Before he could continue, the door opened once again. The same blond haired woman came in again, eying everybody disapprovingly.

"Out!" She bellowed, "I need to talk to him."

"Granny, I just got here…" Naruto whined.

"Naruto..." She warned, giving him a look.

Naruto grimaced and then smiled, "See you later, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded as all of them left, Sakura giving him a cheerful smile.

The intimidating woman sat in a stool beside his bed and crossed her legs. Her tawny eyes looking gold in the sun's rays. A man stood behind her, his face and left eye partially covered by a mask. His hands were in his pocket, but from the looks of it, they could be holding a weapon in a split second.

The woman spoke first, "I'm Tsunade, the Hokage. And the man behind me is Hatake Kakashi. We need to ask you a few questions about you and what happened at your village."

Sasuke just nodded.

"What is your name?"

"Kajiya Sasuke."

She wrote something on a clipboard, "Date of birth and age."

"September eleventh, twenty."

Once again, written down, "Weight and height?"

"One eighty, six two." _Why are they asking me these questions? _He thought.

"Blood type?"

"Type AB." Sasuke said, frustrated.

"Occupation?"

"Blacksmith... Why are you asking me these questions?" He finally blurted, immediately regretted it as the woman sighed.

Tsunade put the clipboard in her lap, "You're the only survivor of your village. We need this information to put it in the records."

"The only survivor..?" His hazel orbs growing wide, "It can't be... are you sure?"

Tsunade looked him dead in the eye, "Yes, I'm sorry. There were no others found." The woman sounded sincere about her apology.

A panicked look swept over the man's features, "Did you find a girl, about seventeen with bright-red hair?"

Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed, "No, we didn't."

Relief flooded Sasuke, "Then I guess I'm not the only one."

"But we did find an older woman with bright-red hair, about forty-five." Kakashi spoke up, "I was the one who found her. Did she live in the mansion on top of a hill?" he asked.

Sasuke nodded.

"We found her dead. There was evidence that another individual was living with her, but they were never found. Did you know this person?" Kakashi folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Yes, that woman you found was Kiyomizu Kana. The individual you are talking about is her niece, Kiyomizu Aria. I've known them... for a long time..." Tear's sprung in the young man's eyes, but he willed them down. He didn't want to look weak in front of _the_ Hokage.

"So you're telling us that she might be alive?" Tsunade said plainly.

"Yes, ma'am." Sasuke looked away from his interrogators. _She has to be alive, she has to._

"We'll look into it, but for now I need you to answer some questions." Tsunade took the clipboard and flipped over a piece of paper.

Sasuke nodded, feeling numb.

The afternoon swept by slowly as Sasuke answered about a hundred questions; always looking up at the ceiling and never at his interrogators. After what seemed like an eternity, Tsunade stood up, "Just tell Sakura if you remember anything else."

Sasuke nodded and wanted to lay on his side, but the throb on his chest made it hard for him to even move. They left without saying a word, only a quick wave from Kakashi and what could have been a smile as he closed the door.

A pit in his heart was created during the whole process. Everybody that he knew was gone, his neighbors and friends. The old woman from across the street who always brought him flowers after his Grandfather died. His neighbor Kaito and his wife who had five kids that he played with. His best friend Kiyoshi…

_Aria..._

Pain, and not the physical kind, flooded him. Sasuke put his fists to his brow as silent tears began to fall.

* * *

The days went by in a blur that Sasuke would always remember. Naruto, Sakura and Sai came often, entertaining him and making him laugh a few times. He figured that the reason they came was because they know what it was like to lose someone precious to them. They were all shinobi, and that's what happens in their lifestyle. Sasuke respected that kind of courage.

It still hurt, knowing that he was the only one to survive. But he felt it was his responsibility to keep going on, in the memory of his village. Aria was still missing, and no one knew if she was still alive.

He pushed those thoughts of Aria away, in order to get better. If he was ever going to find her, he needed to get well again and moping around wasn't going to help. When his stitches were finally removed, he was allowed to go on walks as long as he was supervised. Either Naruto or Sakura would go with him, sometimes together. But they were always fighting, but it was always funny. Sai, to Sasuke, was a hilarious fellow. Sasuke didn't know any details, but he could tell that Sai was programmed to feel no emotions... but he was trying. He saw the masked man a few more times when he was with them, and Sasuke was informed that Kakashi was Naruto and Sakura's sensei.

Naruto would always take him to Ramen Ichiraku for dinner or Sakura would show him around and even took him to the library when he told her he loved to read. But tonight was Ichiraku with Naruto.

Sasuke finished his third bowl and rubbed his full stomach, "Thanks for the meal, Naruto!"

Naruto was on his fifth bowl, "No problem!" He said, broth dripping down his chin. He wiped it away with a fist and continued inhaling his food.

Sasuke chuckled and Naruto looked up at him.

"What?" The blond questioned, his blue eyes squinted shut.

"I was thinking about staying in Konoha." He said.

"Really?" Naruto's face brightened up.

"There really isn't anywhere else for me to go... It's no use going back. I always wanted to read books more than metal working, after Sakura-chan showed me that amazing library..." Sasuke's hazel eyes turned to liquid gold.

"I'm sure they would want you as a librarian!" Naruto gave him a thumb up, grinning widely.

Sasuke chuckled again, "But at the same time, I wonder if Aria is trying to get back home... Knowing her she probably is. So, I'm going back home."

Naruto's face blanched, "What! B-but-"

"It's okay, Naruto. I decided to give it a month before I'm signing myself out. Tsunade-sama has been really good to me, for allowing me to stay as long as I have. Anyway, I have to take care of my Grandfather's shop. I can't let the family name go to waste."

Naruto seemed to understand, his face determined, "You're right, Sasuke. I hope when you finally do go home, Aria-san will be there."

_I__ wish I could tell Naruto that Aria is his cousin, but it's not my place to say those things, _he thought."Thanks, Naruto."

* * *

The sun was peaking over the horizon, swallowing the brightest of stars with its rays. Sasuke stuffed another shirt into his bag that was given to him for the trip ahead. He zipped it up and sighed, thinking about last night. Naruto, Sakura and Sai took him to a barbeque restaurant to congratulate him on his recovery. Tsunade couldn't come for reasons unknown, but later that night she did stop by to congratulate him and check his wound. It had healed amazingly, mostly a scar now. But down near his hip was still scabbed over where it was deepest.

Tsunade was still wondering how he survived.

Sasuke threw the bag over his shoulder, and looked around the hospital room. He remembered playing late night cards with the nurses and how he would always beat Ms. Chizue and never Mrs. Kyoko. He smiled and walked out of the room, leaving the door open behind him. He walked down the hall and to the nurse's desk.

The nurses pretended to ignore him, "Excuse me?" He chuckled.

The nurse sighed and grabbed the clipboard beside her; she then proceeded to look at Sasuke with huge eyes that were sparkling with tears.

"Sign here please." she said pitifully.

"Ms. Chizue..." he sighed, writing his name on the discharge form.

"Pleasedon'tgo."

He laughed this time, "I'm sorry. I need to go home."

"Other than Ayame-chan, you are our best patient!" She got on her knees in front of him.

"Goodbye Mrs. Kyoko!" He waved at the old woman who refused to look at him. But he knew she was crying.

"Goodbye… good patient." She replied.

"Such a good boy!" Ms. Chizue clung herself to his leg and he had to haul himself down the hallway and down the stairs and down another hallway until he was at the entrance. He saw Naruto and the others waiting for him there and he waved.  
"Sakura-chan!" He pleaded.

"Ready to go, Sasuke?" Naruto smiled as Sakura coaxed the crying nurse off of Sasuke's leg.

"There, there…" Sakura cooed to her when she finally released.

"Yeah, you guys coming with?" Sasuke asked.

"Mm-hm! Just to make sure you get there safe and sound!" Naruto put an arm around Sasuke's shoulder, "Let's go!"

* * *

It took a few days and Sasuke was amazed at the things that the shinobi could do.

Like how Sai would go ahead to make sure that it was safe and he would disappear in a blink of an eye into the trees.

Or the time when there was a boulder in their path and Sakura threw it down the cliff, Sasuke was never more afraid in his life then knowing a temperamental woman like her had that much strength.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side…" Sasuke had muttered to Naruto.

"Don't worry; I'd get the worst of it." Naruto whispered back.

The rocks and dirt crunched under their feet as the mid-morning sun peeked over the trees. A cool breeze had formed sometime the previous night and leaves danced in-between their shoes. Sasuke stopped suddenly and they all looked back at him.

"I can take it from here guys." Sasuke finally said.

"Are you sure?" Sakura frowned.

"Yeah, I've taken this route plenty of times before and I'm only a few miles away, and I'm pretty sure you guys want to go back home… and plus… I just…" Sasuke couldn't say the rest of the words.

Naruto slapped his shoulder, "It's okay, Sasuke."

He nodded.

"Just come back if you need anything." Sakura squeezed Sasuke's hand and smiled.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan." He smiled back.

Naruto held out his fist and Sasuke did the same.

"Thanks, guys, for everything." Their fists met and both of them grinned.

"No problem. Come and visit, sometime!" Naruto grinned.

"Definitely! Expect me soon."

Sai smiled and waved, and with that they disappeared into the breeze.

* * *

By the time Sasuke made it to his village, the sun was high in the blue. He walked through the gates and into the entrance courtyard which also served as the village's festival area. The places where merry-making and festivities were now covered with mounds. They each had crosses at the head and were lined up, side by side. He walked through them and saw they all had a personal item that the person was wearing before they died tied to the cross. He silently thanked the Leaf ninja for doing this for his village and for him… and a more personal thanks to Kakashi.

He walked to a grave that had a blue sash with gold butterflies sewn into the fabric. He kneeled down and put his hand on the mound.

_Auntie Kana…_

"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll find her…" He whispered.

He stood up and tip-toed around the other graves, the place eerily quiet with no breeze. He walked out of the courtyard and took a right, going up the street. He looked around at the burned stores and homes and felt a pressure on his chest. He looked to his left and saw that the small field where the children played had more mounds and cringed. He jogged past that and up another street, but thankfully this one had walls on either side.

_Why did I come back? _Sasuke thought. His jog turned into a run, the dead village around him turning into a blur. He stopped to catch his breath, putting an arm against a wall to support himself. Panting, he looked up and saw the stairs that led to Aria's home. Gulping down air he slowly walked to the steps, stopping just before them.

Sasuke looked up into the gloomy pathway, the trees just letting enough sunlight in to light the way.

_Aria…_

He looked down at the stairs, wanting to go see if she was as there when left side of his body started prickling.

"Hey, you." A voice called out.

* * *

**YAY! I've updated... Blah. You don't understand how long this took me to do this chapter... I've been editing it for the past hour and my poor boyfriend has been trying to talk to me. I've been giving him the _'ten more minutes'_ crap. Haha. So the whole parting with Naruto and them was totally half-assed and I'm so sorry because you deserve better... But really guise, your reviews really helped me along soo much and I love you all for it! Truly! **

**Thank you!**

**xx**

**I'm so tired.**


	20. Aubade

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its charcters!**

* * *

**Note: My last chapter has nothing to do with this one for the fact that "Hey" thing was original Sasuke wondering why Golden Boy was standing in front of Aria's house. I'm sorry for any confusion, and I would answer to your reviews but I can't since some of you are guests... poo.**

* * *

**Track 17: Aubade – A morning song**

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I wiped the condensation off the mirror, the bathroom door open to clear out the hot steam.

I brushed my wet hair up in a ponytail, letting some of it hang past my ears. My bangs parted and hung down a little past my chin. I looked in the mirror and let out a deep breath, preparing myself.

Leaning over the sink for a better look, I took the scissors and combed down my bangs, holding it between my index and middle finger.

Humming a random tune for my nervousness, I snipped away at the hair it until was level with my cheek bone. I did the same with the other and let out a sigh of relief. Even though I always cut my own hair, I was always afraid I would screw it up somehow. The longer pieces were next and came down to my lower chest. I chopped off most of it and angled it to my jaw, and then did the same to the other.

I checked over my hime-cut hair and trimmed a little bit more on the longer parts. Satisfied with my efforts, I stepped away from the mirror.

"Aria."

I jumped and the scissors clattered across the floor, stopping at the feet that stood in the bathroom doorway. I looked up and was greeted with that impassive, black stare.

"Sasuke-san… You scared the living hell outta me." I huffed, putting both hands on my hips.

He didn't say anything as he leaned down and picked up the scissors, flashing in my eyes as the sharp metal caught the overhead light. He looked at them, his eyes blank and deep; the look he always gets when he's thinking about something.

"Finally giving in? Don't worry; I'm good at giving haircuts." I teased, suddenly feeling nervous.

He didn't speak as he walked towards me, the scissors suddenly looking menacing in his hand.

"Sasuke-san?-!" Then he was suddenly in front of me, and I was pushed back into the wall, one hand gripping my shoulder painfully. Sasuke-san's eyes were hidden underneath his bangs, following his gaze I looked down, where I felt something peculiar.

The handle of the scissors were sticking out of my stomach.

The blood raced down his fist and dripped eagerly to the floor, my breathing quickened up and the blood dripped faster. A tangy, copper taste flooded my mouth as I looked up at him.

_He seemed like a raging demon; covered in blood and gore, raised from hell itself, with a maniacal grin that could scare the devil himself._

_Maybe that's why he was thrown out._

I coughed and the blood splattered across his twisted face, the smell of smoke attacking my nose.

"_Why..?" I whispered, a tear rolled down my cheek._

The scissors twisted as he pulled them out, his grin spreading wider when I cried out. My knees buckled underneath me as the world flooded black, then bursting white as it felt like my very soul was being shredded.

"_Orders." _A familiar voice echoed in my head.

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I watched her twist and turn, sweat beading on her brow as she moaned; gripping the sheets as she mumbled something about a hime-cut.

She's been doing this the past two hours, and it was almost noon. Juugo came to me saying that Aria had come down with a fever. But instead of looking flushed, she looked really pale and she was only dreaming. She twisted to her side and cried out, her face turned to a mask of agony.

_More like a nightmare._

I stood up from my seat to wake her up, and then she bolted upright, her eyes flashing as she clutched her stomach and doubled over.

"Aria."

She flinched and her head flew up, terror in her wide eyes as she scrambled back on her bed, pressing herself against the headboard. My chest clenched and I had a feeling that she remembered something, but I kept an impassive look on my face.

Her red hair stuck to her sweaty face and chest, tangling around her shoulders. She looked around and her breathing slowed, and she closed her eyes and flinched, opening them quickly as though she saw something she didn't want to.

"What did you dream?" I narrowed my eyes at her. She positioned herself in a kneeling position, tugging at her black shorts and fixing a fallen tank-top strap.

She looked away, shaking her head, "Just a nightmare, nothing to worry about." She murmured, her face draining of color as she looked at her bed.

I followed her gaze and saw that blood was spotted all over her sheet.

"Get out." She growled, her face turning red.

"Are you hurt?" I took a step towards her.

"I said out!" she yelled, pulling a pillow closer to her chest.

"Aria-"

"DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? I SAID OUT!" She screamed and threw the pillow at me, her face turning a slight purple.

I threw the pillow back and she glared at me, "Whatever." I stalked out of the room, feeling more than pissed off, surprised and a little worried.

I slammed the door behind me, and I heard her yell not to slam it. I ignored her and stomped down the hallway, fuming at her random outburst.

"Looks like the beast has awoken." Suigetsu popped up beside me, "Happened last month too, I'm surprised you don't have a smack mark or a bruise forming. She's quite a brutal little thing during her time of the month." He sighed and smirked.

"Time of the month?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Haven't you noticed her bitchiness the past few days?" He gave me a look.

I shook my head, "What is that?"

Suigetsu guffawed and started laughing, "One day, you'll learn." He patted my shoulder, and I was a little more than confused and more pissed off.

"Whatever. If she keeps yelling like that I just might wring her neck." I growled.

"It only gets worse~"

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

"That jerk." I muttered and crumpled my ruined sheets up in a ball and threw them in the corner. I tried putting on new ones but my head rammed into the mattress, wrapping my arms around my tummy.

"It _huuuuuurts_!" I whined, turning into a whimper as what felt like claws deciding to tear through my stomach. Too lazy to resume putting on new sheets I pulled myself on the bed and resumed a fetal-like position.

My now short bangs tickled my cheek and I remembered my dream. Of Sasuke-san's twisted face, and how he stabbed me in the stomach. I shivered at the memory.

He did come last night while I was cutting my hair, scaring me, scissors falling to the floor etcetera… But he didn't stab me with them. Why would I have a dream like that… and why did I smell smoke?

_Maybe cause your red flower is in bloom…_

I groaned and rolled over, wanting to cry.

I pushed myself off the bed and hunched over, made my way to the bathroom. I peeled off my sticky clothes and let the water cascade down my head. When thoroughly soaked, I sat down in my usual corner and pouted.

"I wish I had a bathtub…" Cold condensation rolled onto my shoulder and down my back, goose bumps pricking my skin. I closed my eyes and a flash of his twisted face made me jerk. I opened them and sighed, _Will this all I'll ever see when I close my eyes?_

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

The door clicked softly behind me, and I sighed.

_She hasn't looked at me like that since…_

I ran my fingers through my hair, remembering the terror in her eyes. The way she tried to get away from me, the tears in her eyes… I wanted to push the thoughts away but they drilled into my head. I knew she had a dream about me, a nightmare. She could steel herself from the world but she'll always be Aria.

_My_ Aria.

I looked at my hand, "Only two more days…"

* * *

**Updated! And early too~ So proud of myself, haha. So I incorporated some of my earlier chapter dialogue into this chapter, if you haven't noticed. Thought that would be cool... And I'm still sorry about the fact that you guys were probably confused about the ending of my last chapter. I'll make it up to you!~ Question: What do you think Sasuke means when he says "Only two more days?". **

**Cause it beats me.**

**Reviews/questions are uh-mazing~**

**xx**


	21. Bewegt

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 18: Bewegt - (German) Agitated**

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I slid my katana into my belt, looking out my window watching as the sky turned a dark blue. A knock echoed through my room and the door opened letting in a beam of light.

"Wake Aria up, we're leaving in an hour."

The door creaked as it closed, the beam extinguished.

I continued to stare out at the world as the immeasurable sky grew pink and orange; the stars disappearing, banished back with the darkness. A ray of sun slapped its heat across my face, and continued crawling up the snow encrusted trees.

The door creaked open again, "Sasuke-san?" her voice asked tiredly. I turned around and saw her leaning against the door, face resting against the edge.

"Did you stay up late?"

"Sorry. I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed." She yawned and stood up straight. Walking over she stretched her arms and put her hands behind her head. Her red hair hung straight down, with clips holding the sides up. She wore a gray, long sleeved shirt with a black, hooded cargo vest, black cargo pants and boots. Her katana was slung over her back under her bag. She also looked like she put on a few pounds.

_Good._

She looked out the window, squinting a bit at the sun and gave a small smile.

"I always had a view like this in the morning. But I could never see the sun itself, it's pretty." She blinked and her eyes were on me, her brown one looking gold in the sunlight, "Ready?" She looked down and raised a slender eyebrow, "Totally digging the man skirt, by the way."

I sighed and pushed past her, and a smirk flitted across her face, "Let's go."

We walked down the hallway, Aria's boots clacking a few steps behind me. Up at the hall I could see Suigetsu waiting with his sword slung over his shoulder with Juugo at his side.

"Juugo-kun! You look good in the scarf I gave you." Aria ran over to him and fixed the dark blue scarf that hung around his neck.

"Aw, why didn't I get one?" Suigetsu whined and crossed his arms.

"'Cause he's the only one who has been nice to me around here." Aria raised her chin and flipped her long hair.

"Well, if you weren't such a bitch more than half the time maybe I would." He scoffed, crossing his arms.

They continued to go back and forth, their bickering fading as I continued up the stairs.

* * *

The air grew warmer as we traveled farther away from the mountains. A chill still lingered, but it wasn't icy.

The sun was now falling back into the horizon, the darkness at the top of sky pushing it farther down as we approached as close as we could to Konoha. Surprisingly, Aria and Suigetsu hasn't said one word to each other the entire time.

The trees blew heavy in the breeze, their leaves sounding like white noise. I stopped and scanned into the dark forest beside me.

"Whelp, I'm ready to sit down." Suigetsu yawned and plopped himself down against a thick tree, he stuck his heavy sword in the ground beside him. I glanced at Aria and even though she hasn't said anything, I could tell she was worn out.

"Whatever, I'll be back. I need to make sure of something." I continued up the dark path.

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I watched him leave, spiriting away with his black and red cloak fluttering in the wind. I wanted to go with him, but my feet hurt and I slid to the ground. My feet seemed to appreciate the lack of pressure as they pulsed, the pain dissolving. I looked up into the tree, the leaves still green despite the chilly air and sighed.

"Got any drinks in there?" Suigetsu gave me a lopsided smile, his purple eyes looking dark in the low-light.

"Why should I give any to you? Anyway, you already have water." I narrowed my eyes at him.

He crossed his arms and sat up, giving me a spiky grin, "Because I'll take the drinks anyway, so I'm being nice in asking. The only reason why I have these is a 'just in case' situation."

I snorted, "Ohohoho, so you're only nice when you want something? Stop being so cocky."

He leaned in, his grin growing wider and eyes gleaming, "I can get _real _cocky."

I smacked him so hard that his head bashed into the tree, blood dripping furiously out his nose, "Say that one more time, pervert!" I yelled.

He groaned, rubbing his cheek, "Is every red-head like this? That Karin bitch and now you! Sasuke seriously has bad taste in women."

"What did you just say?" I screeched ready to pounce when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder.

I turned my head and saw Juugo-kun looking at me with a serious face, but a slight turn on his lips said that he was amused, "Let it go." He said softly, his brown eyes kind.

"Humph, whatever," I rummaged through my pack, "Here." I handed Suigetsu flavored water.

"I don't like peaches..." He pouted and wiped the blood from his upper lip.

My eyebrow twitched, "Well, that's too bad now isn't it?"

"Ah, whatever." He took a sip and made a face.

I rolled my eyes, "Don't force yourself, dummy."

"Shaddup."

I ignored him and held up another bottle to Juugo-kun, "Would you like one?"

He smiled faintly and took it, "Thank you."

I felt like my chest was going to implode, "Aw, Juugo-kun! You're so cute, and humble and nice unlike jerk face over there!" I grinned widely and hugged his arm.

"Who you calling jerk face, _stupid._" Suigetsu scowled.

"You." I smiled sweetly and opened another water.

"If Sasuke didn't need you, I would've already torn you limb from limb." He spat and crossed his arms.

"Sounds so scary." I muttered sarcastically on the mouth and took a sip.

Lightning flashed in-between us, and things were about to get real serious when I heard footsteps.

"I'm gone for five minutes and you guys are already trying to tear each other apart." Sasuke-san appeared in the moonlight, his skin looking paler than usual. I also noticed he was slightly trembling. _Is he excited abou__t something? _My eyebrows knitted together, "Are you okay, Sasuke-san?"

Suigetsu stood up, "Hm, catch the first one already? At least let me have some fun, eh, Sasuke?"

Sasuke-san held up a scroll in his hand, blood dotting on the white paper.

"You're not hurt, are you?" I stood up taking a step forward and froze when he looked at me. Sasuke-san always looked scary when he was angry, even when he was upset, but this... He wasn't the Sasuke-san that I knew.

I felt Suigetsu's hand pull me back to him, "Sasuke isn't really Sasuke right now, Aria. Give him some space while he calms down." He whispered in my ear. Sasuke-san didn't even give a second glance when he walked past me, his movements suddenly more fluid and something else... an aura... that just wasn't him.

I never felt more grateful toward Suigetsu than I ever had right at that very moment, because the look that Sasuke-san just gave me let me know that he didn't care that I was a comrade; he'd gut me like a fish.

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

She was afraid of me; it was clear at that very moment. When her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, it was very clear. She meant well, but I just wasn't in the mood for her fussing.

She should be.

I could pop up and wring that little neck of hers and crack it at the same time.

We continued walking a little ways when I heard it.

The next messenger.

I saw Aria perk up a little and look behind her. _That's where he is… _

"Suigetsu."

"Yup, yup. I got this one." He unsheathed his sword and disappeared into the trees.

"How many are there?" Aria whispered, her eyes peering into the darkness.

"There should be one more on this side." I replied.

She looked at me, "This side?"

"Madara has other members taking on messengers on the other side of Konoha."

A cry permeated through the darkness and Aria looked down, "Let me have the next, Sasuke-san."

I looked at her then, "Fine, but I'm coming with you. I'll get an ear full from Madara if you get killed."

Suigetsu reemerged, a grin plastered on his face, "Another one." He held up a scroll and tossed it to me. I caught it and put it in Aria's bag.

"Aria called dibs on the next. I'll be going with her"

"So she doesn't get her ass killed, which most likely will happen." Suigetsu held out his arms wide, with a smug look on his face.

Aria scowled, "Shut it."

"See! She doesn't even deny it." He leaned over her and he received a kick in the shin. He grabbed his leg and rubbed it, glaring at her.

"I'm far from weak, _stupid." _The way she said 'stupid' sounded like she was mimicking him. Her hands balled at her side and she walked towards the tree line, "The next one is coming." She murmured.

Aria sprang into the trees, her eyes full of determination.

* * *

**PLEASE REEEEEEEEEEEEAD!:**

**I updated early! Why? Because my computer is about to die in 30 minutes and my battery isn't charging properly! Yay~ Save me... So I don't know when I'll be getting a new battery and I didn't want you guys thinking I went MIA again. It may be next week or maybe a month... IDK. Haha, well I hoped you like this chapter. It's probably one of my favorites. I love making Aria and Suigetsu fight, kinda brother and sisterly like if you ask moi. I also made Suigetsu say 'eh' to help calm my cravings and delirious dreams of Suigetsu being Canadian. my So, what do you think will happen in the next chapter? Do you think Aria will need her 'ass saved', or do you think she's going to kick serious butt? **

**Also, what do you think of me making another story related to this one..?**

**I'mma sucker for reviews.~**

**xx**


	22. Maestoso

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters!**

* * *

**Track 19: Maestoso - Italian meaning majestic. Used to suggest a majestic manner of performance, either in mood or speed.**

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I followed her in the darkness.

Grasshoppers chirped loudly, almost deafening. Aria's red hair shone in the moonlight like a spotlight. She stopped before a clearing and looked to the side, her eyes looking somewhere into the trees.

"Sasuke-san." She whispered, not looking at me, "Cover your ears."

I jumped up into a tree as she walked slowly into a clearing. The crickets silenced their music as the air become still, eerily still. I saw Aria's outstretch her hand and her fingers were gripping at pulling at something. Her hand fell back to her side, and then she raised both hands up as a sweet note poured from her mouth.

The sound felt like a current trying to pull me to her, it surrounded me. The air vibrated as her voice dipped and rose in a haunted melody. I felt my mind grow foggy and to add to my irritation, my body was pushing itself forward, to get to her. My mind pictured my brother's prod, the smell of my mother's cooking and my father's stern gaze. The iciness in my heart was melting with each drop of her note and I gripped the bark of the tree so hard that my fingers bled, but the fogginess was still there.

I banished the images.

In the corner of my eye I spotted movement. With that, Aria's song grew louder and the pull on me grew fiercer, but I held myself back. Gritting my teeth I paid attention to the man who was staggering into the clearing, a blissful look on his face.

Aria's song didn't stop as she unsheathed her katana, and the man still swayed forward, unaware of his demise. She held out her blade and the man kept walking towards her, his heart aimed right at the tip. He kept walking even though it pierced through him, and kept walking until her song stopped.

Blood dripped down the katana and onto her fingers. She slid it out of the man with a single sweep and he crumpled to the ground, his eyes unseeing. Aria swiped the blade and returned it to its sheath, and bent down to rummage through his pack. She stood up straight and showed me the scroll.

I jumped down and lost my balance, putting a hand up to my still foggy head. I felt drunk.

"Sasuke-san!" She came running, but I held up a hand. She slowed to a stop a few feet away and clenched the scroll hard, "I told you to cover your ears. Not only are you rude, but you never listen…"

"Aria?"

"What?" She crossed her arms.

I looked fully at her, her eyes looking dark and blank, "What was that?"

She looked at her bloody hand, "The jutsu is called Siren. There is a myth about beautiful women who live on the cliffs of islands, they're called sirens. It is said that many ships and men have disappeared while on a voyage because of them… because when they sing, you feel happy and lose all sense," she closed her hand, "Sailors throw themselves into the sea to be with the sirens, and in the end they drown."

I stayed silent.

"But if a ship passes by, unaware of the siren's song, she dies." Aria looked to the side and slid a lock of freed hair behind her ear. There was something about her now, she seemed to glow and her eyes looked brighter…

My hand reached out and gently took hold of one of her red locks and I let it slide in-between my fingers. It felt like cold silk, "My mind is still foggy from your genjutsu."

My mind was swirling along with my vision.

She smiled softly, "It'll go away soon, and you'll probably have a headache after. I told you to cover your ears."

"I don't want it to go away." I whispered, but I could feel my heart freezing over again.

Her eyes widened for second, but the look was replaced with a sad smile, "Sasuke-san, please stop it."

"Aria…" I took a few shaky steps toward her and my hands cupped either side of her face. Every inch of my being was screaming to stop, but I couldn't, I didn't want to.

I leaned down and Aria's eyes widened, her large orbs catching the moon.

"S-sasuke-sa-an!" I felt it before I saw it, and I knew that I definitely wasn't myself. The iciness froze over and I put my hand on my burning cheek.

Aria wrung her hand and looked at me with serious eyes, "I said stop it! God, you never listen."

She turned her back on me and crossed her arms, "You're not yourself, and you'll regret it… let's head back before anyone gets funny ideas."

I narrowed my eyes at her, slightly thankful that she slapped me, "We need to take care of something first." I motioned to the dead ninja that laid dead center in the clearing. The fogginess was gone and I could walk in a straight line again. I walked steadily to the man, his face still blissful even in death.

"What did he see?"

"Who knows? Family, friends, a lover. It's what the person wants to see, to feel." She lectured.

I frowned and moved his body in a nearby stream. Fire spouted out of my mouth as I incinerated his remains, the smell of burning flesh making me sick.

"Ugh, I always hated that smell." I turned and saw Suigetsu looking disgustedly at the pieces of charred flesh that were making their way down the stream. Juugo appeared beside him with the same look on his face.

Suigetsu looked around, an eyebrow rose, "Where's our little songbird?"

Looking around I saw that she was nowhere in sight. I peered into the trees and saw a flash of something silvery… something that was sharp.

I heard a clang of metal and broke into a sprint. Looking through the trees I could see Aria, her bright red hair a blurry blob. As I got closer I could see that she was wounded on her left side, badly. But she kept the offender off with her katana, another messenger ninja.

_What the hell?_

"Give up, little girl. You're bleeding out and no one is coming to save you!" The Sand nin came at her once again, but I was there.

The nin's eyes widened when our metals met. A spray of blood burst from him as he fell to his knees.

Sheathing my katana, I turned around and saw Aria leaning heavily against Juugo, holding her side. Blood seeped through her fingers and dripped to the ground, and her face was twisted in agony but she didn't cry out or whine.

"There wasn't supposed to be another messenger." Suigetsu looked at me seriously for once.

I walked over and Juugo looked at me, "She's going to die if she doesn't get medical attention soon."

I scowled and bent down, peeling back Aria's torn shirt. A deep slash went up her ribs, exposing some of the bone.

"You guys seriously think I'm going to die because of this?" She snorted, "It takes more than this to take an Uzumaki down."

I looked at her and that's when I knew that she was definitely related to Naruto. No matter how many times you struck that dobe down, he'd always get right back up.

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

The pain was nearly unbearable, but I managed to stay conscious. That stupid Sand guy came out of nowhere and got me like that. I can't believe I let my guard down...

I can't believe I let myself be so far away from Sasuke-san in enemy territory.

His deep onyx eyes left mine and looked up at Juugo-kun, "I'm going to teleport her back to base."

"It might be too much on her body..." Juugo-kun said quietly.

"I-"

I cut Sasuke-san off, "I'll be okay, Juugo-kun! Like I said before, it takes more than this to take an Uzumaki down!" I tried my best to smile and the creases in his face softened a little.

I felt my feet leave the ground as Sasuke-san picked me up and I bit back a cry. My hand curled around the front of his shirt, and he looked down at me.

Something flashed in eyes and I felt his grip tighten slightly on my shoulder. He looked back at Suigetsu and Juugo-kun, "Clean this mess up and don't dwaddle." I could feel his voice vibrating in his chest.

My vision swam and I felt my body grow heavy as everything went black.

* * *

**Update! So I finally figured out that it's my power cord that's being a boob and not charging my laptop, so for the now I'm using my Mom's~ Meh. So I hoped you like this chapter. It was hard for me to come up with something that Aria is good at. I was stuck between taijutsu and genjutsu, and as you see, I went with genjutsu! Yay! Haha. Since Aria is a gentle person, I wanted a jutsu that would go well with her personality, and I came up with this~ I shall update again soooooooooooon.**

**xx**


	23. Melody

**I do not own NARUTO or any of it's charcters!**

* * *

**Track 20: Melody - musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.**

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I was losing her.

I could feel the hot dyblood soaking my shirt. She could say that she'll be okay, but I'm surprised that she lasted this long with just willpower alone. I appeared before Madara, he looked up at me and then at Aria who had fallen limp in my arms.

He immediately stood up and swept everything off the table. I placed her down and she looked up at me, her eyes glossed over. Madara grabbed a medical kit and cut up Aria's shirt, and tried peeling it back. Dried blood stuck to her wound and I heard her gasp, her eyes squeezing shut.

"Luckily, she'll live. How did this happen?" Madara started wiping the dried blood away.

"I walked away for five minutes and she was attacked by a messenger ninja. You told us that there was only going to be three." I glared, putting as much venom as I could into the words.

"I thought so too, but it seems that we were both wrong. Back up, I can't work with you breathing over my shoulder."

I took a seat in the corner of the room and folded my arms. I watched as Madara injected local anesthesia into her skin and started sewing the clean cut wound shut.

"She's strong. Any other shinobi would've died from this much blood lost… the life force of the Uzumaki clan is a wonder." He snipped at the string and put gauze over it. He continued to fuss over the bandages and where to put them since he never "patched up a female before".

I sighed at the comment.

After what seemed like an eternity, Madara had her wrapped up. "Take her to her room and don't jostle her too much, the stitches will open."

I stood and scooped Aria up, wanting to get her away from this creep.

I laid her as gently as I could onto her bed, and her fingers slipped from my neck and it sent chills down my spine. I went through her drawers to find something for her to put over the bandages, but I found clothing too tight for her stay comfortable.

Scowling, I went to my room and found an old kimono shirt that she could wear. I came back and found Aria fast asleep.

I put the shirt next to her head and touched her pale cheek. It felt cold.

She stirred and I snatched my fingers away from her face. She looked up at me with hazy eyes and smiled, "Can you take off my boots. I'd do it myself but it kinda hurts."

I didn't say anything as started untying both laces at once and slipped the boots off. They thumped to the floor and I turned to leave but she grabbed my hand. "Come here." She whispered. Against better judgment I crouched in front of her.

"What?"

Her hand let go of hand and cupped my face. She smiled as she slid it into my hair, her fingers combing the locks back, "Sometimes, I forget what I'm doing and all I want to do is give up. But I look at your face, and into yours eyes and I remember… Just like right now. I hope that one day, when all of this is over... that you'll be able to open up to me."

_If I live through it._

When I didn't say anything she squinted one eye slightly and smirked, giving me a devious look, "But even then you won't." She sighed and let her hand drop and pulled the sheet over her head.

"Leave. I'm going to back to bed." Her voice sounded muffled through the fabric. I stood up and walked out of the room.

Closing the door behind me, all I could think about was that she smelled like strawberries and rust.

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I heard the door close with a click and I rolled back over. My once searing wound was now a dull ache thanks to Madara-san. I undid my cargo pants and managed to gently shimmy out of them. I kicked them to the floor and spread my arms wide on either side of me. I puffed out my cheeks and smelled something familiar. I looked beside me and saw that a kimono shirt lay on the pillow next to me.

My eyebrows scrunched together as I picked it up and inspected it. I turned it around and looked at its back where Sasuke-san's family symbol was sewn underneath the collar. My heart jumped a little and sat up as much I could to put it on.

The project left me breathless, and my side was on fire again. I lay back down, sucking in a squeak and blinked back tears. I let out the air slowly and stared at the ceiling.

I could feel my heart beating calmly as the air left my lungs, and then pounding hard as it ran out. I sucked in another breath and my heart jumped, surprised at the sudden onslaught of oxygen. The pain ebbed away and I continued doing this until dawn broke, until my eyelids grew heavy and my head was dizzy.

* * *

_Leaves crunched under my bare feet and I flinched._

_I didn't want him to notice me._

_I crouched to the ground and peered around the large tree trunk; my skirts tickling against the top of my feet. My heart was galloping a mile a minute as I saw the man standing near another tree, his raven hair hiding his eyes. In his hand he wielded a bloody katana, the crimson dripping to the ground next to a pair of bodies that overlapped each other._

_I clamped a hand around my mouth to stop the scream that was about to pour out. My mother and father lay dead at the feet of this man. I felt something sliver over my feet and a squeak was let out. The man's head perked up and tilted towards me, his onyx eyes me__e__t__ing__ mine and I found myself entranced by them. His beautiful porcelain face was marred by a blood splatter that lay across his cheek. He fully turned and I backed away, afraid that he was going to hurt me.__ But i__nstead he just looked at me, his abyssal eyes boring into mine and I never felt so weak._

_His mouth moved but no sound came out. He was saying something to me, but I couldn't hear it over the sound of constant rumbling. Smelling smoke I looked up at the tall trees and the breath was knocked out of me._

_A wall of fire was burning the trees behind the man and I was instantly surrounded by smoke. A sound of a hawk's cry sent a chill down my spine. Terrified, I ran down the path._

_I need to warn the village, was all I could think._

_My bare feet pounded heavily against the dirt, and I could feel the flames licking at heels. By the time I reached the village, my lungs were feeling like they were going to burst. A rock tore my foot and I stumbled, my hands scraping against the hard ground.__ I righted myself and o__ne tear fell down my face and seeped into the earth. _

_Confused, __I looked up__ and wanted to scream. T__he smoking, blackened bones of the village__ lay in heaps before me__. I fell to my knees as more tears spilled onto my cheek, the distant rumble of fire echoing in my ears. Voices and yells filled the air, even though no one was in sight. __The whispers turned to shrill __cries and blood-curdling screams__ that__ vibrated around me, and I covered my ears and touched my forehead to the ground._

_Stop it..._

_But they didn't, and they became louder and the fire was burning my skin. The blazes danced around me, blowing hot air and smoke into my face. Suffocating me._

_Stop it._

_The screams and cries ensued as a voice started singing. Her voice reaching me through the smoke, and wrapping me in her notes. The voice sang of the sea and moon, singing high above the screams._

_STOP IT!_

* * *

My eyes cracked open to sunlight on my face, and I looked around my room. I tried sitting up but I remembered my side, the anesthetic well worn off.

My thoughts wondered to my dream, and even though I remember most of it, the first part with the man was foggy. His face is dark and looking like it was smudged away. I sighed, frustrated, and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

I caught a familiar scent and looked at my sleeve.

_Sasuke-san..._

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

Water dripped down my cheek to my chin and plopped on the bed. Taking the towel that was around my hips, I wiped the steam off my face and the back of my neck. Earlier in the shower I had scrubbed my face and my neck hard, but her touch remained. It tingled and I could feel myself aching for her.

I put on pajama bottoms and threw on a shirt just as someone knocked on the door.

"What?"

The door creaked open and Suigetsu leaned on the frame, "Your _servants _have arrived." He sneered.

I brushed passed him and headed to Aria's room.

"Since you don't look pissed, I can assume songbird is alive?"

I nodded once and heard him grunt.

He didn't say anything else as I knocked once on Aria's door and walked in. I wasn't surprised that I found Madara in there with her. Juugo was helping her sit up while Madara poured water in a cup.

"This should help with the pain." He said and handed another, but smaller, cup. She shoved back whatever was in it and gulped down the water.

Her eyes narrowed over the cup's rim, "Why is everyone congregating in my room?"

Suigetsu plopped himself down on her bed, "Making sure that you're not dead, or dying." He gave her a toothy grin and I saw her shudder.

She placed the cup on her bedside table, "Stop smiling."

He grinned wider, "I'm getting real tired of your attitude, miss."

"I'm getting real tired of you." Her face was expressionless as she said that, and a vein bulged on Suigetsu's head.

"Little bitch..." he growled.

"And this is when I take my leave." Madara chirped, passing me he whispered, "Come see me later on today."

I nodded once as the two's bickering started reaching its climax.

* * *

**She lives! Haha, I bet all of you were like 'nooooooo~', haha. So I hoped you like this chapter, and this AU has to be short because I'm going out in five minutes. Bleh.**

**Reviews and questions are amazing~!**

**xx**


	24. Harmony

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its charcters!**

* * *

**Track 21: Harmony - describes the simultaneous sounding of two or more notes and the technique governing the construction of such chords and their arrangement in a succession of chords.**

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I stared out my slit for a window, the evening rays slowly sliding across the wooden floor. It's been a few days since I got my wound and the world outside my door has been quiet for a while. Juugo-kun hasn't even come to see me. Feeling restless, I sat up, took off my shirt, and started taking off the bandages. I removed the gauze and saw that it was scabbed over well. Madara-san took out the stitches and whatever antibiotics he was using were amazing. I put back on my shirt and trashed the gauze and bandages.

I stood up and went over to my desk, Sasuke-san's shirt brushing against my mid-thigh. I picked up my silver locket, the metal feeling cool on my palm.

I stared at the picture of Sasuke and I, his face lit up like it always did. I won't lie and say that I didn't miss him, because I do, very much. In fact, it still hurts somewhere in my heart, particularly at the bottom because that's how much I loved him.

_Loved..._

Past tense. Is that how I'm thinking about it now? My heart won't let go of the hope that he still might be alive, but my brain says that it's impossible.

_He's gone and he's not coming back._

Her voice slivered around in my head, the cold, calculated measures of her words pierced right through me. I looked up from the picture and into my mirror where I met her eyes. Her slender arms were draped around my shoulders, her skin a shade darker than mine. Dark eyes sliced into me and a smile formed on her pink lips as I flinched.

"I thought I told you to go away." I glared into the mirror.

The smile fell and she sighed her voice echoing in my head, _And I thought I told you that I'm here to help. _Her icy fingertips glided over my collarbones and she gripped my shoulders gently.

"I don't need your help... I've been fine without you here." I tried to sound convincing.

She clucked her tongue, _If it wasn't for me, you'd still be laying in that bed wasting away. Most likely dead by now. It's time to get used __to the fact that Kajiya Sasuke is dead, love. I'm trying to help you, but you won't let me in._

Her fingers started removing the clips from my hair, the locks falling into place on my shoulder. I didn't say anything as her hands started weaving my hair into a loose braid; _I shield you from the things that hurt you the most. Like the other day for example... I'm the one who took over, or you wouldn't be able to do what you did. Or... we did._

She finished the braid and her hand slivered down my chest to rest underneath my breast, right above my heart, _I was the one who took the physi__cal pain for you too. You and I__ are one in the same. I am you and you are me. My heart is yours and your heart is mine, Aria._

She peered at me through the mirror, cocked her head and short maroon hair slid over her shoulder, _Neh, Aria?_

I nodded once and she smiled, covering my eyes with her hands. With her breath cool against my cheek she whispered, _As long as I'm with you, you'll never hurt again. I'm the harmony to your melody, Ar__ia. I'll protect you forever._

I knock sounded softly on the door and the hands were gone along with the voice. I opened my eyes, "Come in."

I turned around and saw Juugo-kun come in with a tray in his hand. _Finally._

I smiled, "You know, they unlocked my door now so you don't have to keep bringing me my meals. I can get it myself."

He frowned, "You're supposed to be resting."

I chuckled and took the tray away from him, "Thank you, Juugo-kun."

I sat back down and stuffed noodles in my mouth, "Mm, why are it so quiet out there? Usually I hear walking around or talking and all that shebang."

He leaned against the wall, crossing his thick arms over his broad chest, "Madara is busy with Sasuke."

"Why?" My mouth full.

"Sasuke is getting surgery for his eyes. He'll be getting new ones."

I nearly choked on my noodles. I managed to swallow, "His eyes? New eyes?"

"Yeah, I was supposed to tell you so when you see Sasuke walking around with bandages over his eyes, you won't freak out." He explained.

"Didn't know getting new eyes was possible..." I said to my bowl of ramen, "When is it?"

"It's already been performed. Yesterday to be exact."

My head sprung up and I frowned, "Already?! Juugo-kun, I'm disappointed! What if I walked out and saw Sasuke-san running around with bandages wrapped around his head, I would so freak out." My words dripped sarcasm.

He chuckled and righted himself, "If you want to go see him, he's in his room."

I stood up, "Might as well." I sighed.

"You should put on some pants." He combed a hand through his orange hair, averting his gaze.

I looked down at my bare legs, "It's practically a dress on me. Anyway, not like he can see anything..."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me through his eyelashes.

I scowled and rummaged through my dresser, pulling out a red sash. I wound it around my waist and held it in a bow, "Better?"

Juugo-kun nodded and headed for the door, "Madara also said to take it easy. You might have powerful drugs running through your system, but don't push yourself."

I nodded and smiled, "Thank you, Juugo-kun."

He left, and I was left alone once again. The sun had set and my room had grown dark. I looked back on my desk and saw the open locket, his face still smiling up at me.

_It's time to get used to the fact that Kajiya Sasuke is dead, love._

I felt something in my heart snap as I clicked the locket shut.

* * *

I walked down the empty hall, my bare feet slapping against the icy cold stone. I hesitated to knock on the door, not sure what kind of mood he was in. I took in a deep breath and knocked gently, biting my lower lip.

"What?" His voice warned from inside.

I opened the door slowly and peered in, "Sasuke-san?"

A candle created long shadows on the wall and I saw Sasuke-san sitting up on the corner of his bed. His head was in his hands, and bandages wrapped around his head, hiding his onyx eyes.

"I heard that you had... surgery. Does it hurt? I can go get Madara-san if you want me to?" I was about to leave when he shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." His head turned to face me, "Do you need something?"

I closed the door and leaned my back against it, "I just heard and thought to come see you. I was..." I bit my already sore lip, "... worried."

He frowned, "Why would you be worried?"

I looked down. Even if he couldn't see, it still felt like his gaze was burning through me, "I just was, jeez. I can't be worried about you, but you can be worried about me?" I fiddled with the end of my braid.

His frown deepened, "I was only concerned because Madara needs you."

My heart fell, "Oh."

An awkward silence settled over us.

I turned to leave, "Well, this has been an amazing conversation, so I'll just go away now. Just call if you need anything."

"Aria."

I spun around and his body was facing me with his head cocked. An aura came over me. It felt dominant, powerful and... lusty. A lump caught in my throat and I barely choked it down, my heart started beating wildly.

_No, Sasuke-san isn't like that. He's full of himself and his revenge, and the only reason why I'm here is because he saved me and I owe him my life. I'm only something use__ful to him, if not, I would be dead._

My feet shifted and I looked at the floor.

"You do that a lot."

"Do what?" His voice was low, and it sent goose bumps down my chest.

"Say my name." My breath came out shaky, and my heart was pounding a mile a minute. I swear he could hear it because the tiniest of smirks danced his lips.

I gripped the fabric of my shirt, my face feeling hot.

"How's your wound?"

I wanted to crumple to the floor, "It's healing- a lot better than a few days ago, and it doesn't really hurt anymore." I tried to sound normal.

He didn't say anything and seemed to be mulling something over. It was hard to tell with him.

"Sing for me."

My eyes widened, and I raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I want you to sing for me."

Confused I coughed, "Is there anything specific?"

He shook his head. I pried myself away from the door and stood in the middle of the room, right in front of Sasuke-san. His head lay in his palm, and I fiddled with my bow, never feeling so self-conscience in my life. I closed my eyes and took in a few deep breaths to slow my pounding heart, to ease my shaking nerves. I opened them once again and Sasuke-san was still in the same position, uncharacteristically patient.

And I sang.

"_It's in my bones,_ _p__eeking through cracked doors._

_Grabbing the__ handle to my heart,_

_Crawling through my skin, w__hispering empty half-truths._

_The heat of rage, simmering quietly in the cellar._

_Only time will tell._

_Tingling on my fingertips,_ _all h__ope abandoned ship._

_Looking in the mirror and see it in my eyes,_ _t__he demons__ raging through my veins."_

The last note was cut off crisply and I was proud of myself. I opened my eyes and Sasuke-san was standing up, and so near me. The warmth he radiated was intoxicating, and I regretted not putting pants on because all I wanted to do was press myself against him and bask in it. Not only to point out the fact that he smelled like soap and testosterone.

_Why does he do this to me?_

"You also do that a lot."

"What?" A small smirk played on his lips.

My own lips started quivering, "Just... pop up like that." I motioned to what I thought would be a 'pop' motion, with my fingers splayed beside me and leaning forward on the balls of my feet.

The smirk grew bigger and he touched my face, his calloused thumb trailing up my cheek bone. I shivered and felt a spark. My whole body felt like it was humming; happily humming away like a fucking bumblebee.

"S-sasuke-san..." I flinched away, the electrical feeling becoming too much. I didn't want this, not when he doesn't see me the way I wished for.

He frowned, "Stop calling me that, there is nothing respectful about me."

His fingers trailed through my hair, and I swear every single strand was standing on end.

"Sasuke-kun?" He gripped my hair and tugged, his frown turning into a scowl.

"Ow."

"Reminds me of things I'd rather not think about," He snapped and leaned closer, "Say it."

The heat around me felt like I was on fire; this cold, marble statue that was Sasuke-san. I felt drunk; my head swam, my heart was starting to race again, and my knees felt weak. I looked at his broad chest and wanted to press myself against it.

"Sasuke..." I whispered, giving up. I looked behind Sasuke-san and there she was. Her eyes that were opposite of mine telling me to relax, that it will be okay. I wanted this, but not with the way he was... but maybe he will never change and this is what I will always have. The other me nodded and smiled.

His finger trailed the edge of my lower lip and he leaned down further; his lips so tantalizingly near but so agonizingly far. I pulled away from him a little and his hand cupped the back of my head, but my fingertips caged his lips.

"I don't want this." I whispered, and the arms that encircled me dropped immediately.

I backed away from Sasuke-san, "I'm not here to make you feel _better;_I'm here because I want my revenge. I'm sorry to inconvenience you."

My body screamed at me like an unsatisfied toddler. My heart was still racing and my skin still humming. Oh god did I want his lips on mine but... I know the look in his eye. My hand grasped the handle to his door and I opened it, "Excuse me." I murmured and walked out.

* * *

**REJECTED. I wonder if that was the first time Sasuke was rejected? Who knows~ So, I have realized that I have to start being mean with my updates. It's really hard seeing people reading my chapters, yet I get no reviews every time I update except for one or two. I NEED TO KNOW YOU THOUGHTS PEOPLE. So if I manage to get at least three reviews, I'll update. If not, then it'll take me longer to update. **

**Also, the next chapter will be a filler, before Aria went bad bitch and all. I feel like my chapters have been too intense. For the people who don't know what to review:**

**Question: If Sasuke and Aria had a theme song, what do you think it would be? Maybe why?**

**I love asking those types of questions~ **

**Reviews are lovely and I shall answer any questions!**

**xx**


	25. PretendReliveRegret

**I do not own NARUTO or its characters! **

* * *

**Track 22: .Regret.**

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

**AU: ****I'm sorry to say that my little fanfiction is going to end soon because I want to get it done before I go to Arizona next month. But on the brighter side, it's officially decided that I'm going to begin a new one! **

* * *

I knocked the pills back, swallowing them with a cup of water. The sun hung low in the sky and my room grew darker despite the beam of amber light that sliced the room in half. I lay down and felt the pills travel down my throat, disappearing in my chest. Madara-san said they will help, and to be honest, they did… but I never thought I would be a person who would become addicted to such things.

My knees hurt, and my head.

My knees have always hurt - ever since I could remember, but my head was a different story. Sometimes when I'm least expecting it, I get a really bad migraine. Since that day…

I silenced my thoughts and sat up on my bed, "Shower…"

I stripped off my clothes and dumped them in the laundry basket, then walked my way to the bathroom. I ran the water and sighed. _I wish I had my radio… _

Something in my head pinged and I ran out of the bathroom and rummaged through my bag. A sound between a dying whale and dolphin formed in my throat when I found my MP3 player and speaker dock.

"Oh thank goodness." I wanted cry and cradled them to my chest. I skipped back to the bathroom and I found a plug and stuck it in, nearly drooling in anticipation.

"I totally forgot I put you in there~." I cooed and fingered the controls. 'Sprinter' from Kalafina started and I started singing the familiar lyrics. I shimmied out of my panties and walked into the shower just as the chorus began.

I smiled as goose bumps incited by the music ran up my legs and arms despite the warm water. I washed and sang my heart out like the teenager that I am. My Auntie and I sang this song all the time and it was one of my all-time favorites. It felt good.

I turned the water off and hopped out, and the song switched. I wiped steam off the mirror and opened the door to let it out. I began brushing my hair and hummed along with the music.

Banging on my door broke me from my reverie and I popped my head out as Suigetsu strode in, looking a tad irritated.

"What the hell is this noise? Turn it down!" He yelled, glaring.

I gave a pouty smile, "Suigetsu~! Never!" I resumed brushing my wet locks.

He scowled, "Now, Aria!"

"Nope. Music is good for the soul."

I sang just to piss him off more. I was used to him barging in my room for no reason, mostly during the times I was changing. He plopped himself on my bed and I went over to my dresser and pulled out t-shirt and stretchy shorts.

"Meh, it's not too bad." He grumbled and I smirked.

I went back into the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack, and threw on the clothes. I unplugged the MP3 player and I heard Suigetsu whine, "Oi! I was beginning to like that song."

I kicked the door open and searched my room for another plug, "Don't worry… Ah! Found it!" I plugged it back in and restarted the song.

He peeked over my shoulder, "Oh, so that's a MP3 player…"

I gave him a look, "Where have you been living? A box?"

He shrugged and scratched the back of his head, one of his sharpened canines sticking out, "Something like that."

I raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

Rise Against started playing and I squealed, "I love this band. They're from America!"

Suigetsu peered at the player, his purple eyes narrowed, "I wish I knew what they were saying."

I chuckled, and something in my head went off. I used the side of my fist and punched my other palm, "This is the first time we've been in each other's company for more than five minutes and haven't tried to tear each other's heads off!"

He smirked, "We could always start…"

I pouted as Juugo-kun came in. His orange eyes shifting in-between us suspiciously, "You guys haven't tried to kill each other yet?"

"Nope." We both said in unison.

He raised an eyebrow, "So what's going on here?"

I pointed at the player, "Music!"

He looked at where I was pointing, "So that's a MP3 player?"

My jaw dropped, "Seriously people…"

I walked over to the player and grabbed the headphones out of my bag. I sat on my bed and patted on both sides of me, "Come, come children. Let me show you the magical powers of the Motion Picture Experts Group audio layer three."

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

I could hear something coming from down the hall. I opened my door and the noise had long measures and beats.

_Music?_

Padding down the hallway I saw that the source was coming from Aria's room. I opened the door and the music practically blasted in my ears. My eyes landing directly on Aria who lay on her bed belly down and was tapping away at what I would believe to be the heart of it all. Juugo was sitting on the floor, leaning against a wall and Suigetsu sat in a chair, his head bopping rhythmically to the music.

"Sasuke-san!" Aria sat up straight and gave me a smile. Both Juugo and Suigetsu looked up at the same time.

"What's going on?" My eyes narrowed.

Aria turned down the music, "This," She showed me the MP3 player, "Anything that you want to listen to?"

I shook my head and crossed my arms, "I don't listen to music."

She crossed her arms and gave me an exasperated look, "Geezus, guys. All of you live under a rock…"

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch, "Whatever, just keep it down."

"Aw, come on Sasuke. Why don't you join us for a while? You've been so uptight lately, just relax and enjoy the music." Suigetsu got up from his chair, "You can have my seat."

I sighed and walked away, plopping myself on the chair. Suigetsu took a seat on Aria's bed and took the MP3 away from her.

"Oi!" She pouted but he ignored her.

"I wonder what else you have in here… now how do you do this again?" He fingered the player and the volume went up, and I saw Aria jump in surprise.

She put a hand to her chest, "That scared the living shit outta me."

Juugo looked up, "Didn't realize shit could live."

Suigetsu and Aria looked at each other and started laughing.

"I'm dying." Aria managed between giggles, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I can't with you sometimes, Juugo." Suigetsu doubled over and slapped his thigh. The song switched and Aria bit her lip and her cheeks grew pink.

"I love this song, it's my favorite. It's English too, but I learned some of them to understand at least some lyrics." Her cheeks cleared and her eyes shifted around as the corners of her mouth turned upward.

She hopped off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She appeared dramatically in the doorway again with her hairbrush held up to her lips.

"Aria, what are you doing?" Suigetsu raised an eyebrow.

"Singing like they do on the T.V." She winked and gave the victory sign, "Do I look like an idol yet?"

Juugo chuckled, "What's an idol?"

"It's a person who people look up to for inspiration or to even get through the day." I answered.

The brush fell from Aria's grasp and thunked to the floor, all eyes on me.

Aria crouched to Juugo's side and whispered in his ear, but obviously loud enough for me to hear, "Maybe Sasuke-san used to be an idol?"

I raised an eyebrow and heard Suigetsu chuckle, "Well, he is a ladies man."

Aria's cheeks reddened and I stood up, "I'm leaving now."

I crossed the room and Aria grabbed my shirt, and I looked down at her. Her mouth curved to form the lyrics that came from the song. The words were foreign to me, but somehow they struck something in my heart.

She smiled at me, "Goodnight, Sasuke-san."

The smile turned to a dazed look and she looked like she was high. I looked back at Suigetsu, "Did you give her something?"

He held up his hands in surrender, "Nope."

Aria cracked up, "Sorry, I need to take pain medicine for my knees. They're finally kicking in." She stood up and gave me a devious look, "Such handsome men around here… have been on them for too long lately."

She nudged my arm a few times, but all I did was sigh which she found hilarious.

"I'm going to bed."

Aria walked back over to her bed and grabbed Suigetsu's arm, and then practically dragged Juugo across the floor before he stood up and pushed them towards me.

"Go! He needs you…" She peeked through the door crack before slamming it in our faces.

I couldn't help but stare at the door, "Has she always..?"

"Yup." Juugo answered.

"What is she…?"

"Perks."

"I'm going to tell Madara to lower her dosage." I turned around and headed back to my room, slightly amused.

* * *

**Early update~ Haha. So I wrote this at 1 o' clock in the morning because nothing was coming to me for the next chapter that was this. Don't worry, the next chapter has all been written. By the time I finished it was like three so I most likely incorporated some of my 'overtired-ness' into Aria. Gomen. Haha. **

**Since I don't know many Japanese bands, I used my American smarts and just added in some of my playlists bands. Anybody else use Spotify? Haha. So the song at the chapter that was 'playing' was .Regret by Emarosa, I've been obsessed with that song for DAYS now. Haha. Other than the Weeknds' 'Wicked Games', good song mang. Heh. Also, thank you for the lovely reviews, much obliged, much obliged.**

**xx**


	26. Ritornello

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters! **

* * *

**Track 23: Ritornello - A recurrent phrase or passage.**

* * *

**Sasuke.**

* * *

Thunder growled outside my window, the patter of freezing rain and hail droned in the background.

I haven't seen Aria for two days.

"_I'm not here to make you feel better; I__'m here because I want my revenge. I'm sorry to inconvenience you."_

A flash of lightning illuminated my room for a split second and the candle flickered. I sat on my bed and fingered the edge of the comforter, my mind going into overload. It was obvious that she wanted me, but instead rejected me. She was so confusing.

All I wanted was that chance, though it's pretty obvious that I don't deserve it. Before she came to see me, I had a talk with Madara.

* * *

_I opened the door and nearly ripped it off it's hinges._

"_Yes?" His voice__ reached my ears._

_I crossed the room and sat down in my usual seat, "When is all of this going to begin?"_

_He clucked his tongue, "Patience, Sasuke. When your bandages come off we'll start."_

_I scowled, "And when will that be?"_

"_By tomorrow or the day after.__ Your body still needs to get used to its new parts."_

_I gritted my teeth and narrowed my eyes, "And what of Aria?"_

_His footsteps echoed, coming near me, and a table creaked underneath his weight, "She'll play her part and then when that is over, she__'ll be discarded of accordingly."_

_My chest flipped and I stood up to leave, "Good."_

* * *

__Anger rose inside me, _I can't let that happen..._

There was a knock on the door and Juugo came in with an alarmed look on his face.

"What?" I hissed.

"Aria's missing."

My eyes narrowed, "Have you checked everywhere?"

He nodded, "Even outside. I usually visit her around dinner time..."

I stood up and walked passed him, 'Stay here."

* * *

The wind whipped freezing rain into my face, and the clouds exploded high above me. I ignored it, my intentions was to find the stupid girl who decided to take a walk in this weather. My feet crunched through a thin layer of snow and ice and leaves. I spotted the lake and picked up my pace, hoping that she wasn't dead already.

Lightning cracked across the sky and I spotted the red of her hair. Another low grumble turned into a roar that shook the trees above me. She stood near the edge of the partially frozen lake, her face to the sky. The water sloshed on her bare feet and the thin cardigan she wore was completely soaked through.

"Aria."

She turned to face me, and her hair was freed from the ribbon it was tied up in, "Sasuke-san?"

I narrowed my eyes and she looked down, "Are you done being stupid?" I growled.

The wind shifted directions and Aria pushed her wet hair behind her ear, "I'm not afraid anymore."

I was beginning to shiver and I noticed Aria wasn't, she was most likely going into hypothermia. She took a few steps toward me, winced and fell to the ground. I held back the urge to grab her and sling her over my shoulder. She got back up and continued until she was only a few feet away from me.

"I used to be so afraid of thunderstorms and hid anywhere I could to get away from them. I'd sleep with my Auntie, hide in the closet, underneath the bed. But now… I only see it as a beautiful thing." She looked back up to the sky and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

A crack of lightning blinded me and spots danced before my eyes. The groan of something big made my ear twitch as I saw a tree begin to fall and its landing spot was directly on Aria. A look of horror and recognition flashed across her face.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as my body impacted with hers and we tumbled back down towards the lake. Sand gritted against my hip as I sat up, the tree crashing to the ground. The thunder above me sounded like lions growling in the sky before fading out.

"There you go, saving me once again." I looked down, and Aria was looking up at me. Her grey-blue and brown eyes penetrating. The rain turned into a misty drizzle and I looked to the sky, rays of sun poked through the black clouds. But it didn't help how cold it was.

"Someone has to do it since you're an idiot. Can you stand?" I got up and watched as Aria managed, but shakily. Her mouth was lined with blue and her arms and legs look white. I sighed and kneeled down with my back facing her.

"Get on." I grumbled. Icy arms wrapped around my shoulder and I stood up, gripping her even icier legs. I looked at her feet and saw that they too were blue and her fingers. I ran back up the side of the mountain.

Her head rested against my shoulder, "I can't feel anything."

"Stay awake, Aria."

"But I'm so cold. Is that weird?" She murmured lazily.

"It's bad."

"Oh, okay…" Her body grew heavier and her arms went limp.

_Dammit. _I raced down the stairs to her room. This is something I can deal without Madara. Juugo came out of his room and worry creased his face.

"Get blankets. Lots of them." I said and kicked Aria's door open. I sat her on her bed and started removing her wet clothes, leaving her under clothes on.

I was wrapping her comforter around her when Juugo came in holding blankets, "Is she going to be okay?"

I grabbed them and wrapped them around her, "She has hypothermia. Stupid thing."

Juugo helped out and by the time we were done with her, she looked like she was in a cocoon. Aria cracked her eyes open and her teeth started chattering.

"I-I'm s-so c-cold-d."

"Good." I snapped.

"Are you okay, Aria?" Juugo eyes were full of concern.

"Y-yeah, for n-now." She looked up at him and gave a small smile. He looked at me, wondering if he should do anything else.

"She'll be fine. Leave us; I need to speak to her." I growled and Juugo left.

The door clicked closed and I had to do everything in my power not to go apeshit.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you want to die?" I crossed my arms.

Aria averted her gaze and sighed, "I wondered what it looked like."

"What it looked like?" I asked plainly.

"Yes… Like I said before I used to be afraid of thunderstorms and now I'm not. It surprised me and I just…" she trailed off and started fidgeting around.

"Just what?" I narrowed my eyes.

She looked up at me, pouting, "Can you get me out of this?! It's getting me aggravated…"

I started unwrapping the first few layers. Aria wiggled around more and soon had only her comforter wrapped around her shoulders. She was still shivering and she tightened it around her.

"Tell me I'm stupid."

"I've already been doing that."

"Say it again."

I sighed, "You're stupid."

"Thank you."

Sunlight leaked through her window and ran over her shoulder, illuminating the side of her face. She placed a hand on that shoulder and looked up at me.

"You're always saving me, even though I'm supposed to be strong…"

I turned away from her, "You are strong, but things get in the way and you're stupid. Just like your cousin."

I felt her arms wrap around me, making their way up my stomach, "Don't touch me."

"Oh, I see now. When you want something, you just go and take it. But when someone wants something from you, no… it can never happen." She said between my shoulder blades and I felt that she was still shaking.

"Share some of your body heat please." Aria pulled me backwards and made me sit on the bed. She pressed herself against my back, her bare legs folded on either side of me.

They had a pink color to them.

"What do you want?" I swear she was getting revenge for the other day.

Her hands glided down to the edge of my shirt, pushed it up and pressed her icy hands against my skin. I tensed and she let out a sigh of contentment, "I don't understand how someone so cold can be so warm…" She whispered, "But you are and need to share."

She said the last words bluntly and continued to cradle me. After a few minutes of sitting in this awkward position, her shaking didn't subside. I stood up and her grip released.

"I'll go get Juugo."

* * *

**Aria.**

* * *

I grabbed his shirt before he could get away from me anymore, and he looked at me. His onyx eyes were so clear now and I looked down, "I don't want Juugo-kun to warm me up…" I managed to whisper. I felt my cheeks grow hot and I willed it away.

"Wouldn't you prefer it that way? Juugo pretty much takes care of you." He grumbled.

I looked up, pissed, "I take care of myself! But he didn't save me then, and he doesn't keep saving me…" I pushed him away and stood up, not caring that I was practically naked, "I owe you so much."

Something flashed in his eyes… guilt? _No, it couldn't be, why would he be guilty? _

I was shivering badly, nearly convulsing and I wrapped my blanket around me harder, "Why can't I, for once, save you?"

His hand reached out and I flinched, unsure if he was going to hit me. The hand hesitated before gripping my chin lightly and made me look into its owner's abyssal eyes.

"I don't need to be saved. I don't want to." There was a cold sadness lurking in them. I felt caught, trapped within them and all I wanted to do was embrace this man that stood in front of me. Frown lines and worry lines already etching his young face. Is this what happened when two people understood each other? Did they want to comfort each other and tell each other that it'll be okay? That every bad thing will come to an end?

What if he saved me and then dumped me in a place unknown to me? Would I be able to cope with what happened? No, no I wouldn't have been able to. He saved me, brought me here, healed me, helped me cope, guided me and now is letting me get the justice I deserve. That my village deserves.

"Sasuke…" I breathed, his name slipping from my lips before I could stop. He looked away, his mouth set in a tight line.

"Put some clothes on, you won't be so cold anymore." His eyes slid back to mine and his hand fell to his side, "Also, there's something I want to show you."

"Sasuke-san?"

"Hurry up." He turned his back to me and I scrambled to my dresser. I put on Sasuke-san's shirt that I recently washed and tied it with the red sash, scrambling on sandals as he disappeared out the door.

* * *

**So, what do you think Sasuke wants to show her? I don't know either. I'm sorry about the late update, I've been very busy this week and hadn't had the time. I'm also unsure on the next update too (because I barely started the chapter), bleh. But please be patient, I'm trying!**

**Reviews and questions are lovely!**

**xx**


	27. Aria

**I do not own NARUTO or any of its characters~!**

* * *

**Track 24: Aria - A song or air**

* * *

Footsteps echoed along the hallway as the girl with red hair pursued her companion. But he seemed to disappear around each corner, a flutter of his shirt or a wave of his raven locks. Always in sight, but always out of reach. Aggravation welled up in the girl's chest as her pace quickened but, disappointingly, it was always the same.

The pain of the thaw was ignored, and the girl panicked slightly, thoughts of getting lost in this labyrinth flashing in her dual colored eyes. She wrapped her cardigan tightly around her as the air chilled, goose bumps rising on her arms.

Another flash of the man turning, looking at her in the corner of his eye before vanishing again. Determination coursed through her veins and she broke out into a run, her bare feet slapping against the hard stone. She turned the corner and immediately stopped in her tracks, a familiar door looming a few steps before her. She crept up to it quietly and stopped before it. Her fingertips glided down the green peeling paint, the coarse wood feeling warm in the late afternoon sun.

A cool breeze picked up and the girl brushed her hair behind her ear; her lavender kimono fitting snug with a yellow sash. She didn't understand why she was here. She was following Sasuke-san... and now why was she standing in front of _his _house?

The questions drifted quietly from her mind, forgotten, and she opened the creaking door, something she's done many times before. Sandals fell from her feet and she walked down the hallway, her footfalls thumping quietly on the polished wood.

They took her straight down to another door she has never noticed before, but has always been there for some apparent reason. She opened this door quietly too and was welcomed with darkness and familiar scents. Bookshelves lined the walls and paper was scattered everywhere along with metal shavings. A pictured window was open, letting in fresh air and sunlight. A breeze drifted into the room and picked up some of the papers. One landed on the foot of a silhouette that sat at a rather large desk. It was also covered in books and papers, and the silhouette held a book up to his face.

The door frame slid in her lightly calloused palms as her knees buckled to the floor. Her eyes locked on amber ones and his golden hair shifted as he stood up.

"Aria..."

The familiar voice rang in the quiet atmosphere, and her chested tightened. Aria scrambled from the floor and into the arms of the man who she loved so much. The strong arms wrapped around her, supporting her and making her feel like she was molding into him. Tears threatened to fall as his name formed on her tongue over and over again.

"Sasuke..."

Aria's arms snaked around his neck, her blue and brown eyes looking into his honey ones. A smile had formed on his lips and his eyes were as kind and loving as ever. Her heart was beating hard as her head leaned back and she rose on the balls of her feet. But an unknown pain had welled up from some dark part of herself as she kissed his lips, a cold sweeping through her as she felt her body drop.

* * *

Her vision appeared to her like a burning picture, the image of angry, red eyes staring straight at her. Sasuke's eyes narrowed further as Aria looked up. A small smirk crept up her lips and a trickle of blood ran down her chin. The small tear on her bottom lip was evident that she bit it to escape the genjutsu.

"Is that what you wanted to show me, Sasuke-san?" She got off her aching knees, her legs cramping at the effort. The day's adventure was not something that her body was willing to allow her to forget. Aria stood up straight, a fierce look creasing her face when he didn't answer her.

"Is that what you wanted to show me, _Sasuke-san?_" She sneered and lifted a hand. The man caught the slap before it landed on his face, a gleam flashing in his dark eyes. He tightened his hold on her wrist and she cried out in pain. The world once again grew black in her eyes, and the rush of cool fresh air entered her lungs. Spots danced in her vision, but she managed to keep herself conscience through the Teleportation jutsu. Wincing at the hand gripping forcefully on her wrist, she looked up, her eyes as hard as rock.

Sasuke loosened his grip and Aria snatched her hand back, rubbing gingerly at the forming bruises. She looked at her surroundings; large trees rustled in the breeze and a dirt floor gritted against her bare feet. Nothing else was in sight, but somehow there was something about this place that seemed eerily familiar. She looked back at the brooding man before her, his onyx eyes looking sharp.

"Where are we?" She spoke, the last of the sun's rays running between the trees before disappearing into oblivion.

"I did it."

Aria's eyebrows scrunched together, "I asked where we were. I know how we got here-"

"I killed your Aunt." Sasuke blinked, and was again a deep red. She felt entranced by them.

Aria's orbs widened and she looked to the side, a pressure sat on her chest, "What are you talking about? The Konoha ninja did it!" Anger added onto the pressure, and her heart started pounding.

"I killed your boyfriend." He said, his voice holding no remorse.

"No, no... I saw what I saw!" Her head snapped up, and again those red eyes. She was entranced by them.

Cold sweat dripped down her neck and she started breathing in faster. Images flashed into her mind, but they didn't seem right. Or were they? Her chest squeezed in on itself and she doubled over. Her forehead connected on Sasuke's chest and she gripped the front of his shirt weakly; her fingers were prickling and turning numb with each shallow breath she took. He gripped either side of her arms and leaned down.

"I destroyed your home." He whispered in her ear.

She flinched and her head jerked up, her eyes meeting his red ones. Flashes of blood splattered walls and a raging fire corrupted her mind. The acrid smell of smoke choking her, and a blood soaked demon standing before her, wielding an even bloodier katana that struck down her Auntie. Its black eyes looking down at her, ready to kill.

Horror filled her eyes as she realized the truth and she began shaking. Sasuke had broken through Madara's tricks. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it back, looking away. She didn't say a word as she backed away, her mouth agape.

Sasuke's face remained calm and placid as her eyes lowered to the ground, searching to see if there was some reason behind this within the ant holes and blades of grass. Finding none, she looked back up to see that his eyes were their usual color.

Sasuke's mouth was set in a tight line as he unsheathed his katana slowly.

"And now that you know the truth, you can no longer live. It would be an impediment if you told the wrong people about my plans." He said plainly.

Aria's eyes were hidden from him as he flickered from sight. Before his katana found its mark between her breast, she held her arms wide open for him. She gripped him tightly in the awkward embrace and she looked up. She could see herself in the reflective surface, his thoughts and feelings hidden by her image

A pain in her chest exploded and she coughed, red splattering on the Uchiha.

"I don't hate you..." Aria whispered, her knees starting to shake.

Sasuke blanched.

The blade slid out and she cried out, falling into Sasuke's arms. She started sliding down and he slowly lowered her as her knees buckled, laying her down on the dewy ground. A crimson flower bloomed across her white kimono shirt, and more blood dripped to the ground. Sasuke held her close to his chest, his face impassive like always.

She took in a shaky breath and cringed in pain; blood began dripping like waterfalls from her pink lips. She looked back up at her murderer and the warmth in her eyes flooded back.

"I understand why you did that genjutsu on me earlier... You wanted me to experience some happiness before you... had to do this." She whispered hoarsely, blood filling her lung. She coughed and more blood came up. Sasuke's grip tightened and she smiled.

"I always wondered... why you looked so guilty sometimes. I now know." She cupped the side of his face, "You never wanted to do that in the first place. Like you never wanted to kill me... But you had to in order to achieve what you want the most."

He placed his hand on hers, not saying a word. Aria smiled sarcastically, but it reached her eyes, "Like how you forgave your brother, I forgive you, Uchiha Sasuke. For you're a selfish, broken little man."

Another cough erupted and she looked up at the sky. Her body went numb long ago. The stars and galaxies were calling her name as her vision clouded to white and the light in her eyes started to fade. She closed her eyes and sighed. The song in her dream filling her head one last time before that too went blank, and her last breath was carried away with the breeze.

* * *

He felt her body go limp in his arms. Her chest barely rose a centimeter. Her face was serene, like she was sleeping and her red hair spilled over the ground, blending in with her life force.

She wasn't sleeping, but dying.

Her last words kept playing in his head over and over again, sinking deep inside of himself. No tears came to his eyes as he bent down to place his lips on hers, the taste of copper bitter on his tongue. He brushed her red hair back and cradled her close to his chest just as the moon climbed its way above the trees. But just as the light in the darkness came, it was snuffed out by clouds.

"Maybe in another life, Aria..."

He wrapped one arm under her knees and stood up, carrying her farther into the woods. With each step, his heart hardened more and his eyes grew icier. With each step, a droplet of rain fell to the ground. Before long, the earth was being soaked by them, and with each step Sasuke took he felt even more numb and cold inside.

The trees became thinner as he approached a familiar road he took many times before. Back when he was ignorant of the truth. Mud splashed around his sandals, and the hairs on the back of his neck were rising at how close he was at his old 'home'. He approached the gates cautiously, and heard yelling.

He's been spotted.

But he ignored them and kept walking forward, his intentions obvious. The clacks of sandals grew near and he finally stopped as a familiar voice yelled through the downpour.

"Sasuke!"

The man looked up to see the fierce look of his oldest enemy. The blue eyes full of determination and blond hair looking bright in the darkness. The blond held up a fist and started running towards him. Sasuke threw the girl he carried in the blond's direction, making him catch her. The blue eyes filled immediately with concern when he noticed the blood.

"Oi, are you okay?!" He began lightly shaking her, but her eyes remained closed. He looked back up at Sasuke, looking pissed, "What did you do, Sasuke?!"

Sasuke didn't say anything as more Konoha Nin gathered in a line behind the blond, and a woman broke through them. Her hard amber eyes glaring at Sasuke, and her mouth was set in a tight line.

Sasuke looked at the woman, jumped a few yards backwards and turned around, "I missed her heart by a quarter of an inch."

He disappeared and the woman sneered, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Oi, Granny! She's bleeding pretty bad." The blond looked up and caught the woman's attention. Her eyes flickered between where the Uchiha left and the bleeding girl in front of her.

"What do we do Hokage-sama?" One of the nins asked.

Tsunade bit her thumb and then pointed her finger to five ANBU, "You! Track Uchiha Sasuke down!" She bellowed. They nodded once and sprinted into the trees, and the rest were dismissed.

The big-breasted woman knelt down beside the girl, "I have my duties to attend to first." She whispered and pressed both hands to the girl's chest. A green aura surrounded her hands as the blond held her head in the crook of his arm.

"Is... is she going to be okay?" He asked, his blue orbs wide.

She was silent as her hands glided down for further damage. Her eyes were sharp and calculating as she searched the wound. The bleeding was partially staunched and the fibers slowly started reconnecting together. The creases in her face softened a bit as she gave a small smile. The green aura faded and she wiped the rain from her brows, "He didn't strike to kill."

She stood up and wiped the blood off her hands on her pants, "Naruto, take her to the hospital. I managed to stop the bleeding a little, but she's still lost a lot of blood and is in critical condition."

Naruto stood up and wrapped an arm around the girl's waist to support her, "Granny, this was the same girl that was with Sasuke a few weeks ago."

Tsunade put a hand on her hip and looked back down the road. She sighed and whipped around on her heel, "Get the girl to the hospital, Naruto, and then we'll worry about what comes next." She crossed her arms as the rain shifted into a drizzle.

The blond nodded and looked down at the girl, her face looking pale. He saw a small puff of breath escape her lips in the icy air and determination creased his brows.

"Okay!"

* * *

Sasuke walked steadily through the halls, rain dripping down his face and raven locks. They splashed to the floor and his sandals left a wet trail to his room. He closed the door behind him and stripped off his shirt that was stained with her blood. He clutched it in his hands and watery, red drops dripped on his bed, staining the white comforter.

He threw it in the corner and stripped off the rest of his clothes. He ran the shower and didn't dare look at himself in the mirror, knowing that there was also blood on his cheek where she touched his face. He stepped underneath the scalding water, and soon his pale skin turned red.

He stared at the floor, watching the red tinged water disappear down the drain. Steam clouded his sight and he closed his eyes, rubbing at his tense neck muscles. He didn't think as he scrubbed his skin raw. He rinsed off and stepped out of the shower.

Through the daze he managed to pull on pajama pants and a black, long sleeved shirt; a small Uchiha emblem was sewn underneath the back collar. Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor for what could've been hours for all he cared. A heat began prickling the back of the neck and he looked to floor to see his shadow in a golden halo, realizing that it was sunrise.

Sasuke made his way over to the window and stared out over the sparkling atmosphere. The rain of last night washed away the remaining snow. He looked to his left to where she once stood, looking out the same window with that sad smile on her face. He remembered how clear her eyes were in the morning light.

A flutter in his peripheral vision tore him from his reverie and he looked up to see Madara leaning in the doorway; arms crossed over his chest and his head inclined. The orange, swirled mask he wore reflected brightly in the sunlight, and a red eye gleamed from inside.

"What happened?" His voice purred, dangerously low. He was more than pissed off.

Sasuke resumed looking out the window, watching a bird lazily flap its wings. He sighed and steeled himself, but it wasn't that hard – he's done it plenty of times before. He turned fully to face the man and looked him straight in the eye, "I couldn't take the fact that _she _was a cousin of that _guy_. It was disgusting that I would be working with someone who is a part of something that I hate. I lost it."

Madara cocked his head a bit, "Is that why you brought her body all the way to Konoha?"

Sasuke glared, "Just giving the scum back their trash."

Madara didn't say anything else and seemed to mull over something. He finally clucked his tongue and sighed, "Well, thank goodness I had a back-up plan. I figured something like this would happen."

He turned to leave, but stopped with his back to the young Uchiha, "You need to control yourself."

He disappeared and Juugo watched as the man left, then raised his eyes to Sasuke's, "Where's Aria?"

Sasuke inwardly cringed at her name, but his face remained still and his eyes remained masked, "Dead."

* * *

Her red hair looked bright against the white pillow. Her eyelashes black against the paleness of her skin. A clear, plastic mask covered her nose and mouth, as one of her lungs was weak from collapsing. An IV trailed from her hand up her arm and her chest was stitched tightly closed. A heart monitor was stuck just above her breast and the machine it was attached to continued its annoying beeping.

She would occasionally open her dual colored eyes, the world around her swirled with colors, shadows, and noises that mushed themselves together to become the same. But the heaviness on her chest compelled her to sleep some more, and so she would listen and drift back into oblivion. She didn't know how long she's been lying there, and to be honest, she didn't care. As long as she could sleep and never think again, she would stay like that forever. The occasionally turned into a rarity until, finally, she never opened her eyes again.

Voices sometimes reached into her dreams of darkness, like little rays of sunlight. But she never listened to them as she sunk further and further into what was this little black hole that she laid in. Nothing could reach her here, and nothing could ever hurt her again.

She was content.

But just when she thought she was safe in the confines of her heart, one of the voices was brighter than the other, and it warmed her skin.

The girl weakly sat up and her eyebrows scrunched together at the light that was shining at the top of her little hole, melting the black with its heat. It grew brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding and she couldn't help it.

She reached her hand up as much as she could to the voice, to the blindingly, familiar white light that was calling her name.

"…a"

"…ria."

"Aria!"

And she opened her eyes as tears traced down the side of her cheek.

* * *

**It was really hard writing this chapter if I might say so myself. Listening to "So long, goodbye" from 10 years wasn't helping either, haha. There were many ideas that I came up with but I felt like this one was the best since it gave a reason for Sasuke to kinda 'save' Aria. And I'm sorry for those readers of mine that wanted a little more between the two, but I felt like there's too many out there with OCxSasu. Haha. **

**But don't worry my friends, Aria's story doesn't end there. (:**

**xx**


End file.
